


Playing SOLDIER

by CelestialKestrel



Series: My Final Fantasy 7 Fics [1]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Acceptance, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Healthy Relationships, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mako Poisoning (Compilation of FFVII), One-Sided Attraction, Post-Sector 7 Plate Drop (Compilation of FFVII), Pre-Sector 7 Plate Drop (Compilation of FFVII), President Shinra Being An Asshole, Seventh Heaven (Compilation of FFVII), Shinra Company, Slow Build, Slow Burn, male reader - Freeform, relationship tags may change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:55:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 35,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24449224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelestialKestrel/pseuds/CelestialKestrel
Summary: Silver hair and cold hands wrapped around your exposed skin, nails digging into your sides. “So, you like playing SOLDIER?” His katana tickled your neck as a smirk twitched on his pale face. “Yet, you couldn’t even save the person you loved.”Black hair and gentle blue eyes twisted through your mind, your fingers stretching out to someone unreachable.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough & Tifa Lockhart, Cloud Strife/Reader, Zack Fair/Reader
Series: My Final Fantasy 7 Fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1737448
Comments: 4
Kudos: 124





	1. AVALANCHE

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally going to be a one-shot for [It's A Date!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24082348/chapters/57962059) but it became longer than I thought it would. I hope you like the first chapter though!
> 
> Comments are appreciated too.

Rays of light hit against the windows as Biggs, Wedge and Jessie spoke to each other, laughing and drinking. A shaky sigh fell from your mouth as you leant against the Seventh Heaven bar, swirling your drink while they spoke around you. Your mind was racing faster than a Cactuar as you idly slurped at the iced tea; pondering about the next mission. 

The jukebox softly played in the background, the melody muffled as footsteps headed in your direction. Blond hair and a stony face moved by your vision, seating himself a stool away from you, his gloved hands clasped together - A SOLDIER gauntlet tightly gripping his left wrist. 

“So,” Biggs called over, your mako infused eyes flickering over to him. “Are you coming to the meeting?”

“Yeah,” you replied nonchalantly, knocking back the rest of your iced tea. “I’ll go down there now.”

The feeling of tight slithering snakes was wrapped around your insides again, constricting them as you slid away from Cloud and made your way over to Biggs; externally, you seemed confident and optimistic, but internally - exhausted.

Barret moved by Cloud, saying something you couldn’t hear to him, then he gave a short nod as he strode on to the wooden planks where the pinball machine proudly perched. “You coming then, Merc?”

“Yeah,” you answered after a few moments, dragging your stubborn feet over to the rest of your new-found group: AVALANCHE.

Being hired by them was something you didn't expect, but Biggs recommended your work after hearing about you taking out a group of bandits stealing from orphans and teachers in Sector 5. Pathetic really, all that work for some gil; working for AVALANCHE felt better than working for SOLDIER, at least they had goals that improved the planet.

The platform shifted downwards as Barret spoke with Tifa, her hazel eyes full of hesitation, her hands nervously held to her chest; you knew she didn’t have her heart in this.

With a bump, the pinball machine landed into the basement. Barret instantly threw himself onto one of the rickety chairs, Biggs and Wedge following them shortly afterwards. Jessie smiled up at you as you took a seat by her and Tifa, overlooking a blueprint of the reactor. 

“Right,” Barret grunted, leaning his muscular torso slightly closer to the table. “You all know why we’re here today. It’s about the next bombing mission, we got rid of one of the reactors which should keep the planet's blood pumping a little longer, but one isn’t enough. If we want to stop Shinra draining the planet dry, we need to take out as many as we can.”

Tifa uncomfortably fiddled with her gauntlets. “Look what happened on the first mission, people’s lives were destroyed, other innocent people died. Do you really think this is the best way to handle this?”

The room fell silent for a few seconds, Jessie visibly winced at her words; you knew she probably felt like it was a personal slight against her due to the bomb destroying more than what was anticipated on in the first Mako Reactor, but you agreed with what Tifa said. “I think it’s a risk to the civilians.”

Tifa glanced up at you, relief flooding her expression.

“Then we’ll make a better bomb, one that only destroys where we need it to,” Barret replied, folding his arms. “What happened that day, was no one's fault.”

“I’ll double-check the explosive this time,” Jessie blurted. “I’ll make sure something like that doesn’t happen, I’ll install a safety device in it.”

“Good idea, Jess,” Biggs stated. “Shinra needs to be taught a lesson.”

“You’re damn right, they do.” Barret grinned, slamming his fist excitedly on to the table. “As seen as Cloud is asking for unreasonable amounts of gil, I don’t want him to be on this next mission for Mako Reactor. I want it to be me, Jessie, Tifa and you, [y/n]. You can act as our shield.”

“Right.” 

Tifa blinked, biting at the dried skin on her bottom lip. “I need to think this over, can you give me a minute?”

“Yeah,” Barret replied.

Her long brown hair drifted by your vision as she stepped near the pinball machine, Tifa pulled the lever and left to the middle level. 

“But, Cloud could be a great help to us.” Jessie attempted to persuade Barret. “He’s a First-Class SOLDIER, I know [y/n] is is a Second-Class SOLDIER as well, but-”

“That’s enough, Jessie,” Barret interrupted, holding a hand in front of himself briefly. “Cloud isn’t coming.”

“We need someone with experience dealing with Shinra,” Jessie argued.

Biggs huffed in amusement. “You’re really going hard on complimenting [y/n], at the moment, aren’t you?”

“I don’t mean it like that,” Jessie sighed. “He’s talented at fighting bandits and monsters, but Cloud… He knows how to destroy Shinra’s defensive machinery.”

“Thanks, Jessie,” you stated sarcastically.

She gave an apologetic smile at you, then gazed back at Barret as he mulled it over. He eventually shook his head, his sunglasses reflecting Jessie’s disappointment. “No, not this time. I know [y/n] can handle this job just as well as Cloud. Besides, you had experience fighting against Shinra’s machines, right?”

“Yeah,” you hesitantly replied, black hair and gritted teeth flashing through your mind. “I did.”

Barret nodded. “You have a few tricks up your sleeve.”

Wedge frowned. “I get why Tifa’s upset about it, but we can’t just stand back and do nothing, right [y/n]?”

You picked at the dead skin around your nails. “She has a point, Wedge. But I also understand your side too. Shinra’s been a plight on the different Sectors and the planet since I can remember, but we need to take more precautions for the people who aren’t involved.”

Jessie looked away, guilt flashing over her heart-shaped face.

“Hey, what happened was not your fault, Jessie. I still can’t shake the feeling that Shinra had something to do with that device causing more damage. They love making themselves look like the good guys after all.”

“Yeah, he’s got a point, Jessie,” Barret chimed in. “Shinra could have used their self-destruct mechanism and made the blast affect the other Sectors.”

Jessie nodded a slight grunt of approval, but still remained quiet.

“Cheer up, Jessie!” Wedge exclaimed, patting her back playfully. “How about we go get a drink after this is over, huh?”

“Yeah.” Jessie’s dark eyes gazed up at him, a barely visible smile tugging at her lips. “I think we all could do with a drink if I’m being honest.”

Barret laughed heartily. “You’re right about that!”

You awkwardly shifted. “Hey, uh, can I go to the toilet? I need to take a leak.”

“Sure, be my guest,” Barret huffed. “Don’t be too long, though.”

“Right.”

You turned and left the group as they fussed over the blueprints and headed up towards Tifa’s bar. If you were honest, you told a white lie, you wanted to check on Tifa. She seemed really uncomfortable when she left the meeting.

The elevator finally clicked into place, the pinball machine flashing oranges and reds as the buttons lit up. 

Cloud was stiffly sat at the bar as Tifa passed him a strong alcoholic drink, softly speaking to him. When she heard your footsteps, she gazed upwards, her full lips downturning. “Have they not finished the meeting yet?”

“No,” you replied, slipping in a seat away from Cloud. “I wanted to see if you were alright.”

Tifa sighed, her fingers idly shifting through her hair. “Yeah, just not sure if I want to go through with it. I just… I feel trapped.”

“If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it,” Cloud answered confidently, his fingers wrapped around his glass.

“Cloud’s right,” you sighed. “It’s like being between a rock and a hard place, but you don’t have to be in the middle of them. I could ask Barret-”

“No, it’s fine,” Tifa interrupted. “I appreciate it, but he wouldn’t understand.”

“Yeah, I guess Barret is set in destroying Shinra no matter what,” you ran a hand through your hair. “I should go back to the meeting if you need anything give me a holler.”

“Right, thanks,” Tifa responded, smiling.

When you finally arrived, the meeting seemed to be wrapping up; your hair twisted in several directions as you couldn't stop messing with it.

“Took you long enough,” Barret grunted.

Biggs snorted. “You… uh, have an interesting look going on today.”

“Piss off,” you huffed, walking casually over to him and playfully elbowing him. Blinking, you noted one of the unprotected areas, you finger tracing over the paper. “Hey, if we go in through this entrance and climb through the vents, it might save us some time. We won’t have to fight against the security guards.”

“Good thinking,” Jessie praised. “He’s right, it could give us an opening.”

After Barret concluded the meeting, you all returned back up to the bar. Tifa and Cloud were still quietly talking, the familiar feeling of your stomach twisting returning. Broad shoulders brushed by you as Barret strode over to Tifa, a grin planted on his face.“Time to celebrate, break out the good stuff!” 

Tifa moved away from Cloud, forcing a smile. As she began preparing drinks for AVALANCHE, Barret turned to Cloud saying something inaudible to him. 

You sat at the back of the room, fiddling with the weapons in your holster and the SOLDIER gauntlet on your wrist, the one he gave you...

Biggs and Wedge laughed as Tifa placed glass bottles next to them, sheets of paperwork chaotically splayed out near their hands as they spoke. Then Jessie rushed by you, running towards Cloud, speaking to him.

You knew what is about, she wanted him to come with you all, but Barret made his mind up. Cloud was a more experienced fighter than you, she was right. But, like Tifa, he doesn’t seem to have his heart in it; it’s more about the money… at least now it seemed to be.

“Hey, what’s the hold-up?” Wedge asked her, holding up a glass.

Jessie politely smiled. “Be right there.”

After a few more moments, Wedge impatiently slapped the table. “C’mon, Jessie! I’m dying here.” 

Jessie apologized to Cloud and rushed over to Biggs and Wedge. “Sorry to keep you thirsty boys waiting.” She glanced over her shoulder at you. “Hey, you want to join us, [y/n]?”

“Hm?” You broke your lingering focus on Cloud, your attention diverting towards Jessie. “Yeah.”

You walked over to them, earning a grin from Biggs. “C’mon then, what’re you waiting for? Pop one of those bad boys open.”

A small huff of amusement escaped your lips as you forced open the sealed bottle. Barret grinned over at your table with Tifa, raising their glasses in the air. Everyone mirrored him.

“AVALANCHE!”

Biggs knocked the bitter liquid down faster than a bullet. “That hit the spot!”

“Damn, Biggs! Slow down!” Wedge yelled worriedly.

Cloud moved by your table, his sharp eyes glancing over you for a moment, causing a spike of ice to run down your spine - he looked straight through me.

Jessie watched him leave, then gazed at you. “Y’know, I didn’t mean anything back in the meeting, right? It’s just…”

“It’s alright, no hard feelings, Jess,” you replied, smiling. “Come on, let’s celebrate.”

“YEAH! [y/n] knows where it’s at!” Barret laughed.

Thoughts crashed through your mind like an ocean, pushing you back in time. 

Monsters engulfed your vision, as you tensely stood your position, the ground below you shaking from explosions as citizens' crashed onto the floor, crowds fleeing in several directions. Gulping your fears back, you darted towards one of the creatures, landing a heavy blow to its head with your sword. It hissed out, jumping backwards, then a sharp pain rocked through your body as something slammed into your back, catching you off guard.

You toppled over, coughing painfully as the creature towered over you, raising a twisted arm. Somebody shouted your name, their boots thudding against the floor, then a swift glint of metal flashed by your vision, knocking the monster away from you.

“Hey, [y/n]!” Black hair fell over you, his hands landing on your sides, gently shaking you; his bright eyes gazing down. “Hey! You okay, buddy?”

“Yeah,” you grunted, clutching your side. “Have you seen Cloud?”

“No,” he answered, his bright smile faltering slightly. “But at the moment, you’re my priority, c’mon, let’s get you out of here.”

You gripped his hand, allowing him to help you up from the floor, blood oozing from your wound. “Thanks,” you grunted.

“We’re in this together, remember?” Zack stated, lifting your arm and wrapping it around his broad shoulders. “We’ll get through this.”

“Zack…?”

“Yeah?”

“I wanted to tell you something-”

Clattering plates and cups crashed in your ears as you tiredly sipped your now half empty shot glass of vodka, your nails scratching into the wood as long brown hair swept over your vision, carrying trays, lips curling as murmurs from Barret’s table drifted over to Biggs and Wedge. 

You’d finally wriggled your way out of SOLDIER, dodging Shinra like swerving away from oncoming bullets and settling as a mercenary instead. But it seemed that your new job had acquainted you back with Cloud. 

He seemed so different from the last time you saw him laughing with Zack or gushing words of admiration about Sephiroth; it felt like it had happened a lifetime ago. But he seemed to ignore your existence as he bargained with Barret over the pay for the different missions, his eyes narrowing as he folded his stubborn arms, demanding a higher amount.

A hand clasped your shoulder, causing a jolt of surprise. Blinking tiredly, you turned around, seeing Jessie smiling worriedly at you, her hazel eyes reflecting your surprised expression. “You okay, [y/n]? You seem a little distant today. Even in the meeting...”

“Yeah, I’m good, Jessie,” you said, trying to wave off her worry; a rather sad attempt to avoid her jaw from tensing and her thin brows knitting together, it didn't seem to work in your favour.

“Come on, you can tell me,” she stated, leaning closer next to you, Biggs swaying slightly as he spoke to Wedge. “Is it the missions bothering you? Or the new guy, Cloud?”

“Neither,” you sighed. “It’s just…”

Barret tapped his foot in agitation. “Cloud’s been demanding more gil from me these past few weeks, it’s like he thinks I’m made of money,” he exclaimed, a little louder than he meant to. “I’ve been trying to save up for Marlene’s education.”

Tifa smiled worriedly. “I just think Cloud’s going through a lot right now-”

Wedge and Biggs were seemingly trying to ignore the conversation erupting behind them, stumbling up from their seats and picking up darts, raising their arms into the air every time they landed one into the middle of the haggard dartboard.

“Yeah!” Wedge laughed. “Nice going Biggs!”

Thud, another dart hit against the board.

“Hey, did you hear me?” Jessie questioned you, her hand fastening tighter around your shoulder.

Your senses were being swirled and jumbled like clothes in a washing machine, their voices mingling chaotically together. Cloud’s mako infused eyes embedding into your brain as you shifted uncomfortably.

“Yeah,” you lied. “I’m good. Hey, Barret?”

“Yeah? What is it, scamp?”

“I think I’ll head out for some air, it’s getting a bit stuffy.”

“A’ight, see you in a few,” Barret enthused, gulping down some more beer.

Silently you got up and opened the front door; blissfully it closed behind you, silencing the voices inside. Wind gushing through your clothes as you adjusted your weapon holster, running a hand through your hair. 

You didn't want to say anything, but you'd get frequent headaches; you weren't sure whether they were due to stress or not, but everything seems louder, and seeing Cloud so emotionless, looking at you without any flutter of recollection, tugged at your chest and pulled you downwards.

They used to be your close friends, but after Zack disappeared with Cloud, you never thought you’d see them again; watching Cloud’s body language caused a strain on your heart, he mirrored things Zack used to do- except for the attitude, that’s for sure.

People blurred by your vision as the muffled voices talked about AVALANCHE and Wutai. Sometimes you wondered if there was anyway you could get away from it all, but you needed to eat, and working for Barret was better than working for shit stains like Don Corneo or Heidegger. At least he cared about the planet, even if a part of you felt that these attacks on Shinra wouldn’t do anything to budge their skewed outlook on the world.

“[y/n],” A familiar cold voice called. 

You attempted to tear your gaze away from the blond as he approached you. 

Cloud stared at you, his sharp blue eyes digging into you. “What are you doing, aren’t you meant to be in there?”

“I just needed some air.” You made sure not to look directly at him, guilt gnawing at you. “I needed a break. What are you doing, anyway? Aren’t you meant to be helping the people in the slums?”

“Tifa asked me to tell you she needed a word with you privately,” Cloud stated, ignoring your question, he paused for a few awkward moments, his eyes moving away from your face. “She couldn’t say it in front of the others.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks, I guess.”

You moved by him, and entered back inside Seventh Heaven, Tifa tore her hazel eyes away from Barret, focusing on you instead. “Did you get the message?”

“Yeah.”

“Right, come with me a minute,” Tifa ordered.

You abided her instructions and followed her to the back of the building. She slowly turned to gaze at you through the sides of her eyes. “You’ve been avoiding Cloud, haven’t you?”

You couldn’t exactly disagree with her, you had been trying to worm your way out of situations involving him, but you still blame yourself for what happened back then. 

“I-” you mumbled, drooping your head. “Yeah.”

“Cloud hasn’t said anything, but he’s noticed it as well,” Tifa sighed, swaying her arms. “Listen, I know you burden yourself with what happened, but this is now. We have to work as a team. He’s not great with words, I know he can come across as crass, but he just doesn’t know what to say to you. You’re both putting up barriers.”

“I know,” you sighed, tucking your hands into your pockets. “He’s just different, I know people change, but you should see the way he looks at me.”

“I think what you need is a break,” Tifa replied. “You should head home and have some rest.”

Barret’s voice broke your attention from Tifa, as he poked his head out of the back entrance. “Oi, [y/n] what are you doing in the back now? Are you done drinking with us?”

Tifa stared at you, her eyes flickering with worry.

“I…,” your vision drifted briefly back on to the others as they gazed upwards, anticipation and expectations littered on to their faces. “I think I’ll head back home today. Maybe I’ll have a drink with you guys tomorrow after the mission.”

“Suit yourself,” Barret grunted, turning back to Biggs, Jessie and Wedge, placing a hefty newspaper on the table. 


	2. Static Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy! I thought I'd keep it to the original story but mix in my favourite parts of the remake. Crisis Core spoilers are in this chapter though, so be warned.

You go back to your residence tiredly, closing the door behind you. Dull rough curtains slowly drifting from the open window, grey scratched wallpaper sticking to the ageing walls, a haggard sofa positioned beside your bed as dust particles floated in the air. You mumbled, sitting on the squeaky mattress, "Tifa is right, I should get some rest."

You leaned your head against the thin pillow, folding up your arms beneath it, your heavy eyelids fluttering closed; your breaths relaxing and drifting vacuously in the barren space.

Static fizzled through your brain, voices injecting themselves into your dreams, flashes of green light blinking rapidly in the darkness. 

Kind blue eyes squinted in uncertainty as you, Cloud, and two other infantrymen stood tall - silver hair trailing over the elongated staircase wrapping over polished metal floor. Zack tilted his head, black hair framing his perplexed expression as he rubbed one of his gloved hands at the base of his neck. "Where are we going, by the way?

Sephiroth glanced back at him, his eyes ice-cold. “To Nibelheim.”

Zack's shoulders rose into a carefree shrug. “Well, he’s the boss. C’mon, guys. Let’s go.”

Boots crunched over piles of dust and sand, civilians obviously looking at you all with suspicion. Zack grinned at you, patting your back as he ambled by, jogging to Sephiroth's side. A flicker of red light flashed over your vision, you squinted to your left only to see Cloud clumsily placing his infantry helmet securely over his head, his arms inelegantly fell over his sides.

“Hey, what’re you wearing that for?” you asked him, slightly laughing. “We’re just passing through and getting information. You don't need to be incognito.”

Cloud nervously licked his lips. “I… uh. Someone I know is here.”

“Huh?” You blinked, then a large grin painted your face. “Oooh, is it your girlfriend?”

Red dusted over Cloud’s cheeks. “N-no! It’s not like that. I just don’t want her to know it’s me.”

"Okay, okay," you chuckled as he fiddled sheepishly with his loose scarf. "I won't say anything." Specks of sand roughly pelted your skin, but you brushed it off, taking in the rows of shops and quaint little houses. "I bet there's some pretty cool stuff out here, huh? Isn’t Nibelheim your hometown?”

“Yeah.” Cloud nodded.

The light breeze nipped your exposed arms as you watched Sephiroth while he spoke quietly with Zack. Your lips parted, then you spoke after a few heartbeats “You’re lucky, y’know?”

“What do you mean?” Cloud responded inquisitively.

“I never really had a home, after my older brother passed away, I just travelled a lot. Then I met Sephiroth and Angeal during one of their missions in Sector 8, they really inspired me to become a SOLDIER. It gave me a purpose,” you replied as you kicked some sand lazily with your boot.

“You never told me that you had a brother,” Cloud added, messing his oversized helmet. “I suppose you were able to be independent though? My mum is always worried about me.”

“That’s what parents are for,” you chuckled. “Also, yeah, I guess it helped me to be more independent. But, I still can’t help wishing I had someone to return home to. I guess that’s why Sephiroth means so much to me, he’s taught me so much.”

“He’s a really great fighter.” Cloud trailed off, then his stance straightened as Sephiroth began marching over, his silver hair flowing gracefully behind him. 

He gently smiled, folding his arms over his chest. “So, how does it feel to be home after all this time?”

One of the infantrymen gave a curt shrug. “I have no hometown, I wouldn't know.”

Zack frowned over at him. “Uh, what about family?” 

Sephiroth looked over his shoulder, his icy eyes glazed over; unfocused and far away. “My mother's name is Jenova. She died shortly after I was born. My father…” He shook his head, squinting, wiping his face blank. “Why am I talking about this?” He gestured forwards with one of his gloved hands. “Come on, Let's go.”

“Are you okay, Sephiroth?” You moved worriedly to his side, his eyes trailing after you.

“I’m fine, [y/n],” he lied. “You should hurry. We can’t spend too much time here.”

You slightly bowed your head to him. “Okay, sir. Got it.”

After a few minutes, a girl about your age wandered over to Zack, dressed a lot like a cowgirl, her brown hair falling slightly over her face as the wind shifted her clothes. She tipped her hat and said something to him, her eyes shifting momentarily towards you and Cloud, who appeared to flinch under her gaze.

Her soft voice was carried by the light air. “Are you one of the SOLDIER people who've come to investigate?”

“Yeah, my name's Zack from SOLDIER, first-class, mind you, first-class,” he boasted, placing his hands confidently on his hips.

You rolled your eyes and leaned further towards him. “Trying your dumb pickup lines again?”

Zack lightly flicked your shoulder. “And you can do much better?”

Tifa smiled slightly, then cleared her throat, grabbing your attention. “Are there a lot of SOLDIER first-classes?”

“Nope! We're a small elite group,” Zack informed her, placing an arm around your shoulder with a smirk, earning a small sigh from you.

Tifa frowned, her red eyes searching for someone else. “They only sent three?”

Zack shook his head lightly, holding two of his fingers up in the air. “No, two. Me and Sephiroth,” he exclaimed proudly, he nodded his head towards you. “This guy here's a second-class SOLDIER, [y/n]. One of my buddies.”

“Right…” Tifa replied in disappointment, she shifted uncomfortably, then walked by you both, disappearing into the streets.

Was she the girl Cloud was trying to avoid?

Zack raised an eyebrow and stared at you. "She was pretty strange, right [y/n]?"

“Yeah,” you replied, trying to conceal the amused smile plaguing your face as you glanced back at Cloud.

Sephiroth led you all to an Inn, his cold eyes skimming over you all. “We depart for the reactor at dawn. Make sure to get plenty of sleep. Only one of you needs to keep watch, so rest when you can.”

“Thanks, sir,” you stated. 

He nodded, then just as he prepared to disembark, he spun round letting out a small click of his tongue. “Ah, that's right, you have permission to visit family and friends if you so wish.”

He left all of you to your own bidding, striding down the streets, a distant look implanted on to his stony face.

“Nibelheim, huh?” Zack murmured next to you, breaking you out of your thoughts. He turned towards Cloud, a frown creasing his brow. “Wait, why are you wearing that mask?”

Cloud fidgeted, glanced shyly down at the floor. “It's personal…”

Zack giggled and shook his head. “Weirdo.”

Green static grazed over your dream once more, snarling faces and broken tubes littering the darkness.

“I’m- etting-.”

Dull morning light reached into your room, you clenched your eyes closed, turning and pressing your face into your enticing pillow, the persistent headache hammering your skull; it was definitely too early.

Knocking on your door stirred your brain from a half-sleep state. Roughly rubbing your eyes, you smacked your dry lips together, dragging yourself up and clumsily slipping into the door. Your face collided against its wood and a pained hiss fell from your mouth. You rubbed your poor nose as you clutched the handle. “Who’s it?”

“It’s me,” the voice replied.

“Me…?” you mumbled, your mind trying to start its engines.

A sigh sounded from outside. “Cloud.”

“Oh, right,” you stated sleepily, unlocking the hatch on the door. “You can come in if you want.”

You tread over to your small bathroom, leaning over the sink and turning the tap on. The door opened, then clicked closed again. Cloud’s footsteps treading closer to you, then your infamous squeaky mattress let out a sound of distress as Cloud sat down on it. 

After brushing your teeth and washing your face, you glanced towards him, trying to stifle a yawn with your hand. Cloud was gawking up at your hair, a very slight smile curving his mouth. 

“What?” you asked, slinking over to your couch and tumbling on to it. “Something on my head?”

“Your hair...” Cloud informed you, folding his muscular arms loosely against his chest.

Sighing, you lazily ran your fingers through it in a quick attempt to fix your bed-head. “What do you want?” you asked, slightly colder than intended.

Cloud shifted uncomfortably for a few seconds, his blue eyes staring down at his nails. “I’ll be joining you on the mission now.”

“What? How come?” 

“Jessie got injured yesterday, some thugs were loitering around and they attacked us. She sprained her ankle, one of them pushed her down the staircase,” Cloud calmly explained.

“Is she okay?” you squeaked in concern. “She’s not badly injured, right?”

“No, not just up for the mission,” Cloud reassured you, in a roundabout way. “Wedge is looking after her for now in Seventh Heaven.”

You huffed in relief, offering Cloud a small smile. “Right, so, I guess we’ll be working together, like the old times?”

Cloud frowned at you, strands of his blond hair falling over his forehead. “Old times?”

“Nevermind,” you sighed, placing your gloves on and your SOLDIER gauntlet onto your arm. “Wait, shit, what time is it?” you blurted.

“4:02 am,” Cloud answered, his lean body causing the struggling mattress to let out a small wail. “Are you coming to Seventh Heaven for the meeting before we leave?”

“Yeah, I’ll just get a quick shower and I’ll be there,” you spluttered, quickly getting up. “Hold on.”

Cloud shimmied down on the bed as if he owned it as you closed the door to the bathroom. Five minutes later, you wandered out of the shower, the clothes wrinkling around your body as you rubbed a towel over your head. “Sorry, I forgot to set my alarm. Thanks for getting me up.”

Cloud huffed, his eyes lingering on your creased clothes and your damp hair. “Bad sleep?”

You shrugged, putting a coat on. “I guess.”

Cloud got up from the bed, the Buster Sword on his back clinking against the wall, he opened the door, using his foot as a doorstop as you hurried to pick up your wallet. “Thanks,” you murmured, ducking under the entrance. He removed his foot, the door slamming shut behind you.

After you arrived in Seventh Heaven, you slumped on one of the chairs to listen to the quick briefing from Jessie, the headache rapidly turning into a migraine. You gripped at the drink you ordered from Tifa, pressing the cold glass against your forehead, gazing at the liquid flowing inside, reflecting your tired face. Someone sat next to you, but you were so transfixed trying to ignore the throbbing sensation, that you didn't question who.

Mixed talking falling over your ears as you tiredly blinked, focussing on keeping your breaths steady; then after ten minutes, the briefing had finished.

Jessie blinked, limping over to you. She offered a concerned smile. Cuts and bruises were dotted on her face, the same as Wedge. She placed her hand gently on your forehead. “You feel like you have a fever. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll manage, I’ve had worse,” you replied, shifting in your seat. “Are you okay? Cloud told me what happened.”

“Yeah, it’s all good. Just a bit annoyed I can’t come with you,” Jessie sighed, her eyes landing on the person sitting near you. “Are you ready, Cloud?”

“Yeah,” he grunted, picking up a glass of water next to you and placing his lips to it.

“Great,” Jessie replied. “Do me a favour, keep an eye on [y/n]”

“I’m not his bodyguard,” Cloud bluntly remarked.

Cloud’s blue eyes shifted on to you as he quietly stayed in your company. You briefly locked eyes with him, but then your mind became distracted again; falling back on to your unfinished drink.

Tifa placed a hand on your back. “Hey [y/n], let’s go to the train station. Barret’s already waiting for us.”

“Right,” you replied, feigning a smile.

The three of you moved through the littered streets of Sector 7, going by people as they crowded televisions and talked about AVALANCHE and Shinra, or about Wutai. It was always the same conversations each day, it seemed. 

When you finally arrived at the train station, Barret turned to face you. “Alright, people. The mission starts the moment we board the train. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

You nodded, trying to ignore the sensation of weights in your head. Cloud must have been right, you probably didn’t sleep well.


	3. Rushing Down the Train Tracks

A red-haired couple swayed a few feet away from you, grumbling nonsensically as they spoke. "You know this is the first time, we've ever agreed on something," the woman stated.

"Yeah," the man agreed as he opened his arms towards her. "Well then, shall we...?"

"Yes," the woman stated, clumsily trying to embrace him, resulting in them both falling over on the floor, coughing and wheezing.

"What's up with them?" you inquired, briefly staring at them.

"Drunk, probably," Tifa sighed. "I've seen them loitering around here a lot before. They're an odd couple."

"You're right about that," you replied, moving your hair away from your face.

“Do you think Biggs is on schedule?” Tifa shifted her red-eyes towards Barret as he masked his concern with a neutral face.

“All we can do is hope.”

Cloud quietly groaned, facing away from the three of you. “Today really gotta be the day, huh?”

“Ain’t no stopping this train we’re on, son,” Barret abruptly commented. “A lot of people got it rolling, I got the word that more are coming too. ‘Shut them down by today, or we shut another one down for you’." Barret frowned. “Ain’t on us, not us.”

One of the train guards idly stood to watch as the train squealed to a halt, smoke trailing from the top of it. "Morning dawn comes and things never change. You should be careful not to get hurt. Come back again, you hear?" He turned towards the doors, exclaiming. "ALL ABOARD! The train is about to depart."

The four of you walked over to the platform edge as the train doors opened, unveiling The Public Security Division guards. Their helmets tightly secured to their faces as they stepped on to the pavement, guns held tightly in their hands. 

Barret glanced back at you. “Play it cool.”

As they left the platform marching into the streets, Tifa let out a sigh of relief. Barret leads the three of you through the smudged entryway; the stench of smoke billowing into the air.

Glowing red neon lights flickered by the windows as you made your way through the different carriages, dust particles floating in the air as people nervously watched you move by them, whispering about the weapons in your holster, or the SOLDIER gauntlet on your wrist. Your feet pushed you forwards as the ground rocked over the train tracks. "...hoodlums again. God, don't I just have all the luck..." one of the men dressed in posh clothes stated, walking towards a different carriage.

Cloud blinked, his blue eyes searching through the train cart, "So, what are we gonna do now?"

You shrugged idly. "We wait for the train carts to be connected, then we should be able to set off."

Barret sighed. "You two SOLDIER boys are awfully calm, aren't you?"

"Better to focus on one thing at a time," you replied as a child loudly cried close by, his mother desperately trying to calm him down. "If I didn't, I'd probably forget what I'm meant to be doing."

"Yeah?" Barret asked, tapping his foot impatiently. "Well, this train better start focussing on moving."

Outside, the train whistle bellowed the engine whirring once again. Tifa leant against one of the metal poles, her arms folded. "Seems like they just finished connecting the cars. We're finally leaving."

The familiar jingle of an announcement echoed through the carriages. “This is an announcement from the Shinra Electric Power Company. The terrorist group “AVALANCHE” have issued another bomb threat. In response, we have raised the threat level and heightened alert, all lines are currently experiencing delays, we anticipate that our arrival in Sector 4 will be later than scheduled.”

The four of you moved to an inconspicuous corner of the carriage, and Barret turned to face you all, keeping his voice low. “The target’s Mako Reactor 5, from the station we take the backstreets. Once we're inside the facility, it’s the same deal as last time.”

Cloud glanced up at Barret, his body language closed off. “Head for the Mako storage.”

Barret grinned. “Then after that, we can blow it all to hell. Let’s do this one for Jessie and Wedge, they deserve it.”

“Yeah,” Tifa agreed.

“Sure,” Cloud added.

You nodded silently watching Tifa travel down the carriage, you all followed close behind her, trying to remain balanced as the train lightly trembled underneath Your feet. She paused at the end of the cart, looking carefully at Barret. “These trains are nearly empty, and no one is happy to be here.”

“We stand out too much,” you added.

Barret nodded. “Took the words out of my mouth. Cloud, Tifa, you stay here. [y/n], with me.”

You left with Barret through the carriage doors, he took a seat as you held onto the handles clinging to the ceiling of the ancient train, your eyes half-lidded and your body lax; although you were trying your best to stay alert. “How long do you think it will be for us to arrive?” you inquired, your body swaying slightly from the movement of the train.

“If we’re on schedule, about half an hour,” Barret replied, masking his tired voice. He raised his head, watching you. “Oi, don’t think about dozing off.”

“I’m not,” you affirmed. “Just a feeling a little… off, I guess.”

“Well, stop being off,” Barret unhelpfully added. “I don’t want to have you getting hurt.”

Amusement flashed over your lips. “I’ll try to focus more, sorry.”

Barret nodded, folding his arms tightly over his chest. “Good, I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”

The same man you saw complaining about you all earlier, was jiggling his leg, grouchily staring down at his expensive shoes. “Those AVALANCHE bastards,” he murmured under his breath. “Always causing problems for the other Sectors under the disguise of helping the planet. They’re costing me my job.”

“What’d you say?” Barret grunted unhappily. “I’ll have you know that AVALANCHE ARE helping the planet.”

The man glared daggers into Barret, his hands clenched into fists. “So you support those terrorists? AVALANCHE is a blight on Midgar. Their bomb threat has thrown our offices into chaos, let alone the reactor itself.” He slammed his hand dramatically down onto his lap. “It's total insanity. But we won't lose heart, everyone at Shinra agrees! The reactor will stay online.

A disgruntled noise left Barret’s mouth as he side-eyed you in a ‘what’s wrong with this guy’ look. He huffed when the man carried on grumbling about his annoyance with your group, unbeknown to him. “Heh, is that right?” Barret asked, shifting upwards.

The man turned to him, his face contorting into a grimace. “Why? Do you have a problem with that?”

Barret grit his teeth, standing upright, towering over him. “Do I have a problem with that? Oh, you can bet-”

You placed a hand on his chest. “That’s enough.”

Barret remained quiet as the fancily dressed man smugly stared up at you, your hand remaining on him. Barret sighed, sitting back down, his body tense.

“He’s not even worth it,” you murmured. “It’s like arguing with a wall.”

Barret shrugged. “Fine.” He coiled his arms around his chest, his eyeline lifting. “You should sit down. It’ll be a while yet.”

The man stormed off, sitting further away from the both of you, pouting like a toddler being refused to be handed an overpriced toy. 

Sighing, you seated yourself closer to Barret, loosely hanging your hands over your lap. He shifted next to you, “Guess it’s going to be one of those days, huh?”

“Yeah.”

He grunted in amusement. “You got up on the wrong side of the bed or something? You look like shit,” he bluntly added.

“Sure did,” you groaned, leaning your head back against the seat. “I could do with a nap right about now, but I suppose it’ll have to wait. If we make it back, I guess I can relax.”

“We will make it back,” Barret reassured you, his voice lowering so no one but you could hear him. “Shinra might be a bastard to sneak into, but with you, Tifa and Cloud at our side, it’ll work out.”

“I hope so,” you replied smiling. “How’s Marlene.”

Upon hearing his daughter’s name, his face lit up like a candle. “Yeah, she’s been studying really hard. She’s turning into a right little artist,” Barret exclaimed, a wide smile on his face. His voice lowered, becoming serious. “I want to make sure that she has a world to live in when I’m not around.”

“She will.”

“I hope so,” Barret sighed, slinking down as the train gently bumped over the tracks. “Say, I never got the chance to ask you, how long did you work for SOLDIER?”

“I started when I was about fifteen,” you replied thoughtfully. “Around the same time as Cloud, actually. I think I was in SOLDIER for about four years, then I quit.”

“Aw, yeah! You worked with Cloud? You gotta tell me the details!” Barret exclaimed excitedly. “What was he like back then?”

You chuckled slightly at his expression. “Well, he wasn’t like he is now, that’s for sure. He was pretty shy, and constantly went to me and one of my other friends for support.”

Barret frowned. “What happened between you two then? Had a tiff?”

You drooped your head slightly. “No.. Not exactly.”

“Emergency ID scan in process…”

Barret broke off from his conversation, his brow crinkling. “What the hell…?”

Red lines moved across your bodies, illuminating the seats and casting shadows over your faces. “Shit,” you murmured, gripping at your weapon holster.

“Unauthorised IDs detected, threat level: critical. Inspection and containment sweep initiated, commencing at the rear of the train.”

Barret roughly grabbed hold of one of your wrists, dragging you over to the carriage Tifa and Cloud were occupying. “Get over here now!” He ordered the passengers. “[y/n], get ready to fight.”

Slug-rays burst through the window, sending glass in several directions as Tifa gently helped one of the civilians up from the floor, leading them into a different carriage. The machine’s legs clattered against the ground, as they turned towards you and Cloud. He raised the Buster Sword, the materia glowing lightly as he aimed it towards the machines.

You rushed over beside him, beginning to fight against the security.

“Lockdown protocol initiated. This train car will enter lockdown in three minutes.”

You sent one of them flying into the side of the train with a hefty blow from your SOLDIER reinforced sword. It exploded into pieces upon impact. Cloud shoved his weapon into one of the other Slug-rays, slicing it into two; sparks flying chaotically around.

Tifa opened the door at the end of the train cart, looking back at the two of you as you fought against the multiplying number of enemies. “We have to get to the next cart!”

Barret shielded some of the passengers from the embers with his machine gun. “Move over people! Get to car two.”

“I can’t!” One of the passengers cried.

“You want to survive this? Then move!” Barret demanded.

You crushed one of the Slug-rays with your boots, it made a miserable squeal as sparks jittered out of it. Cloud locked eyes with you. “Come on!”

“Got it!” You raced close behind Cloud into cart two. Cloud forced the door open, only to be swarmed with more Slug-rays. He used the Buster sword as a makeshift shield, pushing one of them into the wall, the hot heat burning your unprotecting shoulders; swiftly, you jumped upwards taking the other Slug-ray and forcing it into the ceiling, with a loud bang.

Tifa pushed the other passengers through to the next cart. “Please you have to get out of here!”

One of the Slug-rays launched towards you, but Barret easily aimed for it with his gun, sending it’s metal parts all over the carpet. “Thanks!”

“Pay attention,” Barret scolded you.

“Get out of here, please!” Tifa begged the man Barret argued with earlier. 

“But I’m the enemy,” he stated. “I work for Shinra.”

“I don’t want anyone to die,” Tifa exclaimed.

He hesitated for a moment, his brow raising. Then he nodded. “I’ll look after the others.” He darted into the previous cart as Tifa stared at the three of you. 

“Come on! Hurry!” she yelled.

Once the four of you had made it to cart three, Tifa slammed the door closed, then punched one of the Slug-rays out of one of the windows. You all stood close to another, your weapons at the ready.

Cloud frowned. “There’s no end to them.”

The robotic voice of the security protocol spoke again. “Four unauthorised passengers, successfully contained, neutralizing the threat.”

“I suppose the idea we had to sneak our way in failed miserably,” you sighed, adjusting your weapon holster as more Slug-rays burst in through the windows. “We’ll be dead if they keep coming like this!”

“You’re right,” Barret growled. “Screw this.”

“The only way out is if we jump,” you stated seriously. 

Cloud glanced behind his shoulder at you. “He’s right, the station will be crawling with security.”

“Screw that!” Barret yowled, looking out of the window as the dark tunnels whirled by, the wind pulsing forceful air into the carriage.

“We need to slow the train down,” Cloud exclaimed.

“Sounds like Biggs’ plan E!” Barret stated.

“I’m on it,” you replied, running over to the emergency stop, you placed your hand over the button. “Ready when you are.”

Tifa sighed nervously, then nodded. Moving away from the train entrance. Barret aimed his gun at the door, firing rounds of bullets into its cheaply made metal until its hinges weakened, then he kicked it open; the turbulence forcing the door to slam against the side of the train. Barret nervously looked outside, then he glanced over at you. “Now!”

You nodded hitting the button with force, instantly sparks flew upwards as the train screamed on the tracks, you stumbled ungracefully onto the wooden floor as Cloud gripped at one of the seats for balance. 

“Okay!” Barret exclaimed, trying to conceal his trepidation with confidence. “Watch and learn, I’m gonna jump. I’ll show you how it’s done!”

Barret leapt forwards, disappearing into the darkness of the wide tunnel, Tifa nervously stepped forward, taking deep, heavy breaths. Cloud glanced back at her worriedly. “Tifa!”

“Cloud! More of those things are coming,” you exclaimed, steadying your body upwards. "We're running out of time!"

Cloud swiftly knocked one of them backwards, smoke filling the corner of the cart. He rushed over to Tifa’s side with you, as Slug-ray’s attempted to scratch their way into the carriage. The train showed no sign of stopping as it sped through the underground, sparks still flying out of its wheels. His blue eyes flickered worriedly across you.

“Cloud, jump now!” you ordered.

He gripped Tifa, bounding out of the cart with her, you followed shortly after them both, harshly landing on the jagged ground and rolling head over rear across the metal planks, smoke drifted across the tunnel. You let out a pained groan, gripping your bruised back with a shaking hand.

A sudden pain sliced across your body and you winced, bowing your head to the cold concrete.

“Can you hear me? Hey! [y/n]!”

Flashes of chaotic images twisted through your head; greased back black hair and blue liquid splayed out on the floor. 

**“I’m coming to get you-”** The guttural voice dissipated and crackled like static, as footsteps approached you. A shadow fell over your coiled up form, a soft hand touching your throbbing cheek.

“[y/n], are you alright?” a familiar voice called. “[y/n]!”

“Ugh… Cloud…?”

“Yeah,” he affirmed, his blond hair falling over your face as you wearily blinked up at him. “Are you okay?”

“I think so,” you growled hoarsely as you struggled to sit up as you rubbed your tailbone. “Did everyone make it?”

“We’re all good here,” Tifa exclaimed. 

“What happened?” you ran a shaky hand through your debris-filled hair. 

“We rolled and landed, but Cloud spotted you still on the floor, clutching your head,” Tifa explained, placing her hands over her chest. “The main question is: what happened to you?”

“Migraine,” you sighed, licking your dry lips. “At least I think it was.”

“Can you walk?” Cloud questioned, placing one of his hands on to your back. 

“I- I think so, yeah,” you replied shakily, standing upwards and taking in your new surroundings. Red fluorescent lights latched on to the metal walls, intricate small pipes intertwining everything together. “The underground tunnel, huh? This place must be decades old now.”

“Sure is,” Tifa added, worriedly sighing. “What do we do now?”

“We find Barret,” Cloud stated. “He must not be too far from here, but it looks like it will be a long trek.”

“Yeah,” you agreed, rubbing your aching jawline. “I suppose we should follow those blue lights in the middle of the tracks, but we need to watch out for trains. I wouldn’t want to have gotten this far, only to be run over.”

“Right, let’s go,” Cloud ordered.

You both followed him along the tracks as the tunnel shook from passing trains. Slug-rays occasionally made an appearance, the three of you destroying them through brute force. As your legs carried you, you heard yelling. “That has to be Barret,” you stated.

Tifa nodded, then ran in front of you towards a metal staircase. “He’s close, come on!” When she saw sparks coming from Barret's firearm, she skipped changing course. “There! Barret!”

You rushed over with her, stopping near some metal barricades, dotted with warning signs. Barret’s sunglasses flashed as he fired rounds into some Slug-rays, he glanced back at the three of you, his teeth gritting together. “Tifa! I could use some help over here. There should be some stairs, make it quick.”

“We need to hurry!” Tifa panted as she raced behind you and Cloud.

Barret’s voice faded into the distance as he made threats against Shinra’s offensive security, you all rushed upstairs, past graffitied walls and metal planks. Once you finally passed the bridge, you all lunged back into battle again, knocking the Slug-rays into walls and slicing them into bits.

After you had managed to destroy them, Barret turned to you, wiping some sweat from his glistening brow, his face contorted into a scowl as Shinra security guards rushed at the four of you.

“Great,” Tifa murmured, her hands clenching back into fists.

“Surrender now!” One of them ordered. “Put your hands where we can see them!”

You darted towards them, aiming for their weapons. The taller guard let out a sharp yelp as you kicked him backwards, swiping the gun out of his hands and raising your sword towards his neck. Droplets of sweat curved onto his cheek, his body quivering. “Mercy!” he yowled, raising his hands above his chest.

Your eyes widened, brief visions of Cloud in his old security uniform flickering over the guard’s face, you squinted, lowering your sword hesitantly. Cloud and Tifa stumbled backwards.

“We don’t need to kill them!” you exclaimed back at them.

“What, just knock them out?” Tifa answered.

“Yeah, they’re just doing their jobs,” you sighed, using the hilt of your sword to trash the man on the back of his neck.

He collapsed, his breathing slowing, you turned back to Barret as he kicked one of them on to the floor, following what you asked.

Tifa turned to you frowning. “That’s gotta be the last of them, right?”

“With all four of us fighting them off, it should be a piece of cake,” you stated, following Barret over to the side of the train tracks. 

“Yeah, we can take ‘em. Let’s confirm our position and get back on mission. That reactor's waiting!”

Cloud placed his hands on his hips, as Barret stepped closer to you. “It looks like it’s going to be plan E.”

"And that entails...?" you asked.

“Plan A is if everything went off without a hitch. From the station, it would’ve been a straight shot to the reactor. Didn’t work out but we knew to go in that we’d have to have alternatives. Backup plans, have to have them early!” Barret stated, folding his arms and leaning against the wall. “From closer in to further out,” he gestured with his hand. “B, C, D and so on.”

“Up to what?” Cloud inquired.

“To E,” Tifa responded nervously.

“That’s great isn’t it,” you sighed. 

“Yeah, lucky us,” Cloud added grumpily.

Barret burst into laughter. “You’re damn right. Anyway, we were riding the train from Sector 4 to the main pillar when we had to bail out,” Tifa added, turning her head towards a map crudely stuck on to the wall. She hovered a finger over the connected lines. “We ended up on the adjacent line which should take us to Sector 5.”

“Good old Sector 5,” you stated, rolling your shoulders. “S’pose that means we have to carry on following the train tracks, right?”

“Yeah, not too far though. We need to switch to a different route before we hit the station,” Barret replied. “Cause you can bet your ass, it’ll be crawling with security - all on high alert.”

He gazed at a camera, the red light shining on top of it. A slight frown on his face, Cloud checked it as well.

“Let’s head off, then,” you stated, walking over towards Tifa. 

Barret stepped down the steps with Cloud. “Our friends in Sector 5 marked the route so don’t worry about getting lost.” He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, pointing his machine gun forwards dramatically. “Let’s get straight to victory, people!”


	4. Shinra's City

It took the four of you one hour to trek through the underground tunnel, you all had a lot of run-ins with infantrymen, Shinra machinery and a few monsters. Then there was the Crab Warden, which to put it bluntly; was a pain in the arse to destroy. It was very hefty and highly defensive. 

After moving through the service tunnel and turning off the sun-lamps that powered the plates; you all headed towards the Mako Storage, bantering as you followed after Barret - trying to create more plans using various letters of the alphabet.

“Okay, Biggs should be just up ahead,” Tifa stated as she climbed the ladders that stretched up to the Reactor. “He’s probably worried sick about us.”

“Yeah, I just hope he’s made it,” you replied worriedly, your boots clambering up the metal. 

“After all that fighting, no ones coming for us?” Tifa inquired as she ducked underneath a claustrophobic tunnel, the stench of smoke from broken Smoggers clinging to the metal walls. 

Cloud followed her lead, bowing his head as he crawled through the metal planks. “No need, this is Shinra’s city. There are probably cameras everywhere.”

“Why didn’t you two say something sooner?” Tifa sighed as she wriggled over to the exit.

"Too far in, to leave now," you concluded.

Barret huffed. “It’s like walking a tightrope, once you’re on it, there are only two ways off.”

Tifa smiled, nudging you lightly as you stood up. “Bet you’d be good at keeping your balance.”

“Aww, you flatter me, Tifa,” you joked.

“You’d both be good at it,” Cloud replied nonchalantly.

Your exhausted legs lead you through the freezing cold structure until you entered a narrow room, Cloud approached you, holding out one of his muscular arms in front of your torso as you looked at him inquisitively.

He charged forwards, his Buster sword aimed at someone standing in the corner, they yelped out, but his tone became steady. "Wait… Cloud? ”

“Biggs!” you exclaimed in relief, moving by the blond as he lowered his weapon. “You’re okay.”

“Yeah, of course, I am. I thought you guys were guards. If you were, I’d be a goner,” Biggs's eyes flickered over your group, his brows furrowing. “Wait, where’s Jessie and Wedge?”

Barret stepped forwards. “Topsides went crazy after some terrorists jumped off a train.”

Biggs smirked, roughly grabbing you in a headlock. “Well, without [y/n] pestering me, it’s nice and quiet down here.” You wriggled away from his hold, flattening your hair as his eyes glinted with amusement, he turned back to Barret. “So quiet, I had no trouble securing your router into the reactor.”

“You magnificent son of a bitch,” Barret murmured, he turned around, his arms outstretched as he badly attempted to hug Biggs. “Bring it in!” Biggs ducked out of the way, and Barret corrected his posture, looking back at them, his lips downturning.

Biggs glanced at you. “So- where are the others?”

“Jessie’s still recovering from the altercation last night, Wedge is looking after her” you stated, placing your hands in your trouser pockets, you gestured over at Cloud with a slight nod of your head. “Cloud’s our replacement.”

“Yeah, Jessie roped him in.” Barret smirked.

Biggs smiled at Cloud. “Thanks for stepping up.”

“It’s a job,” Cloud coldly responded.

The familiar cold feeling of ice froze your insides as you gazed at him, your eyeline focusing on the floor. Biggs placed a hand on your shoulder, slightly shaking you. “Good thing you got on the train you did, worked out pretty well!”

“Yeah, thanks to your alphabet plans,” you joked, earning a small laugh from him.

Cloud narrowed his eyes, leaning against his sword as Biggs tore himself away from you and roamed around the room. “While Shinra scours Sector 4, you can walk right into Sector 5,” he looked back at the small tunnel in the wall. “It’s a bit of a squeeze, but it ought to get you where you need to go.”

Barret moved over to it. “Little dark and foreboding for my taste.”

Biggs shrugged. “Beggars can’t be choosers.” He blinked then turned around, reaching for some boxes. “Oh! And you’ll be needing your grappling guns, of course.” He passed Tifa a bag made of cloth, wrapped tightly with rope. “All set!”

Barret smirked. “Ready to take on the world and then some.”

Tifa turned back to Biggs. “Make sure everyone gets clear, okay?”

Biggs raised his fist slightly into the air as he stepped backwards. “Will do!”

He opened a part of the ground and fired his grappling gun onto the ceiling, moving effortlessly down the dreary passage. Barret closed the entrance, then smiled back at all of you. “Alright, all. Make sure to keep a hold onto those grappling guns. Secure them to your belt or whatever, so you don’t lose ‘em. When we’re done, we’ll be using these babies to get us down safely.” He paused for a few moments, looking between your group. “All of us.”

“Got it,” Cloud replied, attaching the grappling gun to his holster.

Tifa nodded then looked back at the tunnel, leading deeper into the reactor.

Bright blue lights and metal bridges were dotted around the room, boxes laid out in the darker corners. The stench of strong metallic chemicals circled your nostrils, causing nausea to threaten your throat and your nose to crease. 

Barret frowned, gazing around the industrial room. “That's it, that's the smell. This place reeks of mako.”

“Brings back memories.” You scratched your cheek. “Well, we’re finally here.”

“No turning back now,” Tifa replied.

“Yeah, this place hasn’t changed a bit,” you sighed.

Barret turned towards you and Cloud, his sunglasses reflecting the lights. “Layouts the same as Reactor One?”

Cloud dipped his head. “Yeah, we're near mako storage.”

Barret nodded briefly, then walked in front of you all, gesturing with his hand towards himself. “Right, let's move.”

The four of you made your way up the tall structures, fighting your way through enemies created by Shinra. Cloud confidently marched in front of you, the friend you used to know, seemingly no longer the same; at least that’s what he wanted to project. Even with all of the facades he held in front of his face like face down poker cards, the Cloud you once knew, was still there underneath.

A dramatic annoyed groan fell from your lips as you gazed down, Cloud’s bright eyes flickering over towards you. “There doesn’t look to be a way down.”

Tifa blinked, leaning over the barricade, gazing down at a large pipe stretching from the edge of the metal bridge to the floor below. She pointed towards it and looked back at you smiling. “Here maybe?”

Your face paled at the sight, the floor below you seeming to move further away. Barret didn’t seem to mind, a grin on his face as he moved over towards her. “Well now! That could work!”

Tifa climbed over the railings, easily using the pipe as a slide and landing gracefully at the bottom. “Come on guys! Hurry up!”

Barret gently knocked by you and Cloud. “I’ll go next.”

You watched as he skidded down the pipe, joining Tifa. He glanced back up at you and Cloud, his eyebrows raised. “Well, what are you waitin’ for, [y/n]?” 

“Uhh, maybe Cloud should go first,” you murmured, with a nervous smile. 

Cloud frowned, then his gaze became slightly softer. “You’re scared of heights?”

“Pft, no,” you said meekly, Cloud stared at you, his expression unmoving. You sighed. “Okay, maybe a little bit.”

“I can help you down,” Cloud replied after a few moments. “Here, give me your hand.”

“Are you sure? I might drag you down with me,” you nervously laughed.

“We’re a team,” Cloud bluntly stated, taking you aback. He reached out his hand to you, his eyes watching you intently. 

“Okay.” You nodded, taking hold of his offer. He climbed over the railings, gently guiding you. Unsteadily you walked down the pipe as he kept hold of you. “Are you ready?” Cloud asked.

A grunt of approval left your lips, then he quickly began sliding down the metal with you. Although you stumbled near the bottom, Barret and Tifa kept your balance. 

Your face flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry about that, never been a fan…”

“It’s all good,” Barret laughed. “I’m not a fan of jumping from moving trains, either.”

Tifa chuckled slightly as Cloud carried on ahead of you, acting as if nothing had happened. 

Tifa nudged you lightly. “Kinda scary, huh?”

Cloud glanced behind his shoulder, a slight smile on his face. “S'all in the mind.” He turned his head back around, walking towards another passageway.

Ten minutes passed by as you went by the same metal walls and pipes, it felt like you were all going in circles but Shinra’s buildings all looked the same.

Barret stopped near a pedestal, a huge robot sitting on top of it; static. He called you all over. “Hey, check it out. They stick this big boy on us, we'd be screwed six ways from Sunday.”

“What is that thing?” you questioned, leaning slightly closer to it.

“Cloud’s the smarty pants,” Barret huffed.

Cloud folded his arms as he gazed at it. “Mechanized units like these were designed to take out giant monsters. Probably a new prototype. If they do decide to deploy it, then our best bet would be to run like hell.”

Barret carried on moving forwards as he replied. “Then let's hope he sleeps through the explosion.”

You hurried over to Cloud’s side. “If you’re saying that, then I don’t want to know what that thing could do. I hate dealing with machines.”

“If we’re lucky, we won’t have to deal with it,” Cloud replied.

The next few rooms were oddly empty, no Shinra guards, SOLDIERs or the pesky Slug-rays were anywhere to be seen. Tifa frowned as she stared around, her red eyes full of uncertainty. “Where is everybody?”

Barret peeked over his shoulder. “You mean Shinra? Probably got spooked and cleared out, is my guess.”

“Something doesn’t feel right,” you said, your voice full of uncertainty. “Shinra wouldn’t leave this place so unprotected.”

“You think this could be a trap?” Tifa asked.

“It’s a possibility,” you answered. “We need to tread carefully.”

You carried on running towards the Mako Reactor, the metal under your feet clanking with every footstep. “We must be getting close now, those ladders lead to the bottom floor.”

“Yeah, it reminds me of the last time,” Tifa replied as she jogged beside you.

“That was a little more chaotic - don’t you think?” Barret laughed.

Cloud leant down, picking up some spare potions lying around on the ground. “Yeah.”

The light hit Cloud’s face as he stood back up, focusing on the ladders that lead to the reactor. His face was paling, his eyelids heavy. “Cloud…?” you asked quietly.

“What?”

“Are you okay?” You stepped closer towards him, placing a hand on one of his shoulders. “You look a bit washed out.”

“I’m fine,” Cloud sighed, turning away from you but not removing your hand. “Let’s go. We should get this over with.”

“If you’re sure,” you replied, your hand dropping to your side.

You all climbed down the elongated ladders, finally dropping to the floor below. The fluorescent lights were even worse down here, so was the smell of mako. Cloud moved forwards and faltered, something looked wrong. Before he stumbled over, you clasped hold of his sides, steadying him. 

He clutched at his head, his breathing becoming heavier, sweat clinging to his brow.

“Hey, SOLDIER boy,” Barret exclaimed worriedly.

“Cloud!” you moved to the front of him, your hands still preventing him from falling. “Cloud, try to look at me.”

His blond lashes fluttered, then he met your gaze, his pupils dilated. “[y/n]? I thought I just saw…”

“What?” Tifa inquired. 

“Never mind,” Cloud sighed, his back straightening.

You followed him towards the reactor, stopping in front of it. His blond hair swayed as he raised out one of his hands to the side. Barret grabbed ahold of the bomb, passing it to him.

“How much time do you need?” Cloud asked.

“Got all the time in the world,” Barret huffed, his posture relaxed as he strode over to Cloud’s side. “This ones got a remote detonator.”

Tifa raised a remote with a cheeky smile. “Courtesy of Jessie.”

“She never lets us down,” you added.

Barret marched backwards. “We reach a safe distance, then - kaboom!”

“‘Safe’ distance, huh?” Cloud countered.

Barret raised an eyebrow. “What no such thing?”

Cloud winced slightly, although the others didn’t seem to notice. You stepped closer towards him, giving a small smile. “Come on, let’s get out of this shit-hole.”

“We get out the same way we got in,” Barret said as he began running towards the ladders. “Let’s double back.”

The four of you darted towards your only exit, then the ladders slightly shook and were lifted away from your reach, the small red lights dotted on the metal blinking.

“What the- where are you going?” Barret yelled at them, trying to grasp the ladders.

Cloud gazed up as they ascended into the air. “Weirdly perfect timing.”

You looked back, walking slowly into the middle of the room. “We’re all being watched.”

The blocked door at the back of the room burst open, Slug-rays swarming like wasps around the four of you. Barret raised his weapon towards them as Tifa clenched her hands into fists.


	5. Closing in

A flash of light blinded you for a moment, then a giant projection of Heidegger rose in front of you, laughing. “Greetings, my dear sewer rats. As architect of our populace engagement campaign, Heidegger, head of public security,” he held his hand to his chest, sarcastically bowing. “Bid you welcome.”

“The chief warmonger,” Barret yelled at him, his body tensing.

“You should be flattered,” he retorted coldly. “Right now you command the undivided attention of every soul in Midgar.” He gestured to the right, the Slug-rays created a screen; Shinra’s bright red company logo plastered on to it. 

“What is this?” Tifa murmured, her red eyes reflecting the image.

It flicked on to the news, an anchor reported about the live attack of Mako Reactor Five from AVALANCHE. Angry Sector One citizens crying out for vengeance against your organization due to the huge explosion that caused more damage than you expected.

Heidegger chuckled as he gazed down at you all through his nose. “A lot of people are beset by uncertainty and chaos, we will offer the finest comfort: bread and circus!"

The Slug-rays changed the screen to a projected image of-

“The big boy!” Barret gasped out.

The robot jittered, it’s mechanics obviously not completed. Even if machines weren’t your strong suit, it looked like Shinra had rushed it out.

Heidegger snarled, his long scar stretching across his face. “I give you Shinra’s finest triumph of technology!”

“What? An oversized tin can?” you asked nonchalantly, trying to calm your pumping heart with false confidence.

“Shut up you rat!” His brow creased, the lines in his face becoming more prevalent, his eyes narrowing. “Hang on a minute, don’t I know you?”

You leant against your sword, staring up at him coldly. “Yeah, you do know me.”

“Oh, yes…You’re THAT traitor,” Heidegger growled. “Pah, working against us, as usual, are you? Well, it doesn’t matter to me, your executioner: The Airbuster will put an end to you.”

The projected image of the ‘Airbuster’ raised one of its hands, a laser gun heating up; directed at all of you. Automatically, it caused you all to flinch, but the screen dissipated like a bad dream.

Heidegger cackled loudly, his eyes creased.

“Engineering on the line.” A voice interjected. “Currently, the Airbuster is only 60% operational.”

A smirk painted your lips as Heidegger frantically glanced back. You folded your arms, glancing up at him. “So, it really is a tin can?”

He growled before cutting the connection short, then his voice echoed throughout the cold room. “To the imbeciles in charge down here, you are hereby ordered to seize those intruders and bring them to me!”

The back doors opened once more, unveiling three Electric Shock Troopers, their arms uncomfortably moving. “You better come quietly,” one says. “Or there’ll be trouble.”

Barret placed one of his fingers close to his lips, mockingly shushing them. Then you all sprung into battle, knocking them backwards as Heidegger’s voice growled malevolently through the walls. “Attention all security forces! You are to bring the insurgents to the command centre without further delay.”

With all of you fighting them together, the battle didn’t last long.

“What's the Engineering process for getting that Airbuster operational? Still only sixty percent... Bullshit!” Heidegger snapped.

“Shut the hell up!” Barret yelled.

You ran a hand through your hair. “What is it with people like him running their mouth?”

“I can’t believe it,” Tifa sighed. “We played right into Shinra’s hands.”

“Yeah, and their bullshit news is already peddling to their false narrative,” Barret retorted. 

Tifa clenched her hands, gazing down at the floor. “So, we’re screwed?”

“No, no, no, no. Hell, no!” Barret reassured her. “Listen! They want to turn this into a spectacle? Then let’s give them one. Let’s take down Shinra’s big ass mech in front of everybody!” Barret stated confidently, he turned to you with a slight smirk. “After all, like [y/n] said, it’s just a big old tin can.”

Tifa nodded nervously. “Okay, I’m sold.”

Cloud peered at you. “Heidegger knew you…?”

“It’s a long story,” you replied awkwardly. “Maybe I can tell you about it another time. Right now, I want to humiliate him in front of all of Midgar. We should go,” you added, glancing at Barret. “Lead the way.”

You ran down the metal corridor as alarms sounded. You called over to Barret as you opened one of the doors. “If this ‘Airbuster’ is unfinished, it could give us an advantage.”

“You’re right,” Barret agreed as muffled voices sounded from the opposite side of the door. “If Cloud and I can figure out a way to make it an easier target, let’s see if you can use those magic tricks of yours, [y/n].”

“Gotcha,” you replied.

Cloud pushed the door open, seven Elite Officers with the guns at the ready faced towards you. “Intruders! Take 'em out!” One of them yelled.

You rushed over to them, using dirty tactics to trip them over so you could kick their guns away from their reach. Chains wrapped your stomach, squeezing tightly as you attacked them; trying to ignore the guilt you felt every time blue wisps of the lifestream floated upwards through the ceiling. Sweat stubbornly clung to your brow as you used the tactics that you learnt from Sephiroth to cut down your enemies quickly.

Tifa, Cloud and Barret walked towards you. “You did a good job,” Barret praised you, roughly placing a hand on your back. “Right, it’s all clear. Let’s see what those bastards were up to…”

Tifa rushed towards a screen at the front of the room, a blueprint of the Airbuster glowing in the middle of it with several images of its weapons and chips laid out around it. “[y/n], Cloud, Barret, over here! It looks like a few of his components are still in transit.”

Barret placed one of his hands on his hip. “We’ll see about that.”

Cloud eyed the different sections of the machine, his arms folded in concentration. “Could tamper a little with its loadout.”

“And give ourselves an edge?” Tifa asked, leaning near you.

“There should be a console somewhere,” Cloud replied thoughtfully. 

Barret darted off excitedly. “This the console you’re talking about?”

He led you all towards a small machine, a card slot underneath it to operate its system. Barret glanced down at it. “Think we can get it to work?”

“Needs a keycard,” Cloud replied. 

“Well, let’s find them!” Barret called, gesturing you all to search the blood-splattered room.

After searching the room, you found one of the key cards and handed it to Cloud. You all decided on making the Airbuster slower, then the next few areas were relatively the same; taking out more infantrymen and using the key card to remove the different units of the Airbuster.

Heidegger’s grizzled voice echoed down the corridors as you got closer towards the elevator, enemies growing more desperate as they battled with you and your group. 

Finally, you all made it to the lift, Cloud pushed the flashing button to the side; the doors quietly slipping open. Your boots clattered against the industrial metal as you made your way inside.

The doors closed as you all got back your breath, then Barret gazed between the three of you, his expression softening. “We’re going to get through this, we’ll make it home. All of us, no exceptions.”

Tifa nodded. “Right, we don’t want to disappoint Marlene.” She leant forwards near Cloud, a small smile on her face. “That goes for you too, Cloud.”

A laugh fell from your lips at his stoic expression. “Yeah, don’t want to miss out seeing her new sketches of your hair and hearing her stories, right?”

Cloud’s sharp blue eyes shifted over to you, a small smile on his lips.

“Yeah! You better give her a big old smile this time!” Barret joked.

“If the price is right,” Cloud quipped, his defensive body language relaxing. “[y/n]?”

“Hm?”

Cloud focussed his attention towards you. “I wanted to ask you something-” His lips parted, but a loud beep sounded as the doors opened once more, the atmosphere shifting into ice and uncertainty.

You glanced back at him as you walked forwards. “What is it?”

Cloud hesitantly moved over to the control panel in the front of the room. “You worked with me, back in SOLDIER, right?”

Tifa’s red eyes searched the ground, her lips tensed together. 

“I did,” you answered after a few moments, watching as his eyes tried to search your face for some kind of memory.

He awkwardly dipped his head. “I suppose I can ask you more about it another time.”

“Yeah, when we all make it out of here,” you responded quietly.

Cloud attempted to open the next doors, but they didn’t budge.

“What? Open it already!” Barret yelled.

Cloud folded his arms, glancing over his shoulder. “It's locked down.”

Tifa looked at you, frowning thoughtfully. “Is there any way we can get it to open?”

“We can get through it using the room over there,” you replied, nodding your head towards a small room, blue flickering lights inside of it.

Barret groaned. “Why does everything have to be so damn complicated...?”

Cloud’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You know, the faulty equipment storerooms that way too.”

“Do you think we'll find the components we diverted there?” Tifa asked.

Barret grinned eagerly. “It's like a treasure vault! I like the sound of that.”

You all moved towards the room, a large control panel with four levers was screwed into the metal floor. Barret frowned, drumming his fingers against the mechanism. “So how do we do this?”

“It looks like we pull the levers at the same time, I had to do this in routine training for some of the infantrymen once,” you explained as you strolled over to one of the levers. “They can be a bit of a pain in the ass to operate.”

Tifa moved to your side. “I’ve got this one, [y/n], take the one next to me.”

You gripped at the lever to the left of Tifa, watching as the machine started to light up. Barret strode over to the other end of the control panel. “I'll take this one then, which just leaves right, SOLDIER boy.”

“Okay, pay attention,” Tifa said calmly, beginning to move the levers down. You managed to sync it with her but Barret’s screen flashed red.

“Shit!” Barret yelled. “I'm still getting warmed up.”

“It’s alright, try to focus,” you replied. “Three, two one,”

You all pulled the levers down, but this time, Cloud’s screen lit up red instead.

“Did you do routine checkups, SOLDIER boy?” Barret questioned Cloud, an amused grin on his face.

Cloud sighed. “Let’s try it again.”

Tifa nodded. “Shake it off, three, two, one.”

All of the screens flashed blue, a sigh of relief falling from your lips.

“Emergency lockdown - disengaged,” a robotic voice stated.

“Gotcha!” Barret bellowed, pumping his fist excitedly into the air.

Tifa giggled, placing her hands behind her back. “Now that's what I call teamwork!”

“Go, team,” Cloud nonchalantly added.

“You guys took less time than the infantrymen I had to train did,” you chuckled. “It took us about half an hour and I have a feeling the next one we have to do is going to take longer than that.”

Barret groaned. “Next one? Great. What have they all got tucked away in that vault, huh?”

You all moved to the next room, the same control panel bolted tightly to the floor. “This would be the treasure vault?” Tifa asked, gazing around the cold room.

“Need to bypass a high-level security lock, like [y/n] said,” Cloud explained, walking towards it.

“Yeah, only this time we have to do it many more times,” you sighed.

“Tightwads!” Barret growled. “But hearing that makes me wanna rob 'em more.”

Tifa laughed. “Yeah, let's stick it to 'em!”

You flicked the switch at the side, the control panel lighting up again. “Delta-level security lockdown is currently in effect.”

Tifa glanced between Barret and Cloud. “Okay guys, you know what we have to do.”

Barred smirked. “Copy me?”

Cloud shook his head. “No, Tifa and [y/n] lead.”

“Alright, after you two, then.” Barret shrugged.

“Gotta get past level one first, right? Three, two, one…” Tifa counted down.

After several attempts, the screens finally flashed blue, the robotic voice speaking once again. “Delta-level security-disengaged. Disposal room now accessible.”

Tifa sighed in relief. “Finally, I was beginning to think it would never end.”

“Uh, you two sure you’re bona fide SOLDIERs?” Barret joked.

“I didn't train for this stuff,” Cloud retorted, glancing away.

“I’ve never claimed to be good at operating these machines,” you laughed. “Just as annoying as I remember them.”

“All that marching with no rhythm?” Barret chuckled, moving over to Cloud playfully. “How did you SOLDIER on?”

You snorted, then Tifa interjected, using herself as a barrier between both of them. “Okay, that's enough of that, let's see what's inside.”

Barret rushed forwards, glass sealed containers were scattered around the floor of the bright room. “Score, it's just like they said. They say a job well done has its own reward... I say take everything that isn't nailed down.”

You all picked up the microchips and Big Bombers from the containers, and Cloud swiped a materia that was lying around on the floor; one of the guards must have dropped it while rushing around to appease Heidegger.

“Looks like that’s it.” Your shoulders finally relaxing. “I suppose the only thing left to do now is going to the finish line.”

“Yeah.” Tifa nodded, swaying her arms idly. “We finish this together.”

“Right.” Cloud nodded.

You all made your way down more metal bridges, wandering by scaffolding supporting the high roofed room. The barricades flashed with lights as you approached into the middle, your faces illuminated by the distant Sectors below your feet.


	6. The Airbuster

Whirring whizzed by your ears as you attempted to take your mind off of how high up you were, then Tifa pointed upwards. “Look!”  
  
More Slug-rays flew in front of you, stretching out a projected image of President Shinra, his mouth twitching in amusement as the Slug-rays scanned your faces, one hovering close to you and Cloud.

“Hmm... So you all must be that... ...what was it?” President Shinra asked.

“AVALANCHE! And don't ya forget it! And you're President Shinra, huh?” Barret yelled.

His attention diverted over to you and Cloud. “Oho, the eyes of those who have bathed in Mako,” Confidently, he concluded, he sat back in his leather chair. His eyebrows lowered. “Hm, how interesting, you chose to work with the enemy?”  
  
“They’re not the enemy,” you argued. “Your corrupt company is killing people.”  
  
“What were your names again? I can’t keep up with all of you people, unless, of course - you both became another Sephiroth.,” President Shinra replied, lazily gesturing with his hands.

“[y/n],” you answered.

Cloud stepped forward, his gloved hands remaining gripped on to his sword. “Cloud.”

“I suppose that would make the two of you a part of SOLDIER?”  
  
“No,” Cloud replied, stepping in front of you. “Ex-SOLDIER.”  
  
“Once a SOLDIER, always a SOLDIER, though, alas not for long,” President Shinra drawled, the projected image of him, leaning against his desk. “Accelerated cellular degradation being the most common cause of death so far.”

Tifa glanced at the both of you, her red eyes filling with worry.  
  
“Though classified information, every SOLDIER knows the truth,” President Shinra continued, his eyes falling on to you.

“That’s right,” Cloud retorted, Zack’s sword raised in his hands, your eyes drifted over it, your stomach twisting into knots.

Barret fired at one of the machines, causing it to blow up into a puff of smoke. “Forgetting someone?”

“Would that I could. You strike me as the type to go on without end,” President Shinra sighed, resting his head against one of his hands.

One of the Slug-rays hovered over to Barret as he pointed up towards it. “Ain’t enough hours in the day to hold you to account for all your crimes.

“And what a wasteful indulgence it would be, if there were,” President Shinra retorted.

“Okay then,” Barret yelled up at him, stepping forwards to the Slug-ray and gripping it tightly in his hands. “Let’s talk about wasteful indulgence, what is mako? The lifestream - the lifeblood of the planet - our planet. But Shinra keeps slurping it up like a thirsty dog, what do you think’s going to happen if you don’t stop?”

“We do indeed keep "slurping it up," as you say. But for whose benefit, I wonder?” President Shinra drawled. “The true nature of mako is known to one and all, yet the people willfully turn a blind eye to the cost. As you must surely be aware?”

President Shinra watched in interest; looking down on you like ants. Barret rammed the Slug-ray into the floor, causing it to explode. “Don't you dare try to put this one on us! If anyone's going with your plans, it's because you brainwashed them!”

President Shinra shook his head lightly. “Such methods are beneath me, as are you, my faithful sewer rats,” President Shinra chuckled, raising one of his hands. “Henceforth, allies of wicked Wutai, our sworn enemy. Thank you for stroking our people’s patriotic favour.” 

His image disconnected, slug-rays circled the four of you as your stomach dropped, your lips dry. “Wutai?” Barret snapped. “The hell we are!”  
  
A few moments later a projection of Heidegger appeared, laughing. “You still don’t understand your role in this?”  
  
Another screen opened close to him, the Slug-rays meddling with the bomb you placed on the reactor. 

“What are they doing?” Barret yelled, stepping forward.

“Don't you see? You fools were never in control!” Heidegger placed one of his hands on his chest. “Never anything but pawns in our plans to sell great and glorious war to the people. And your instruments of insurrection will detonate!”

Heidegger pushed the button on the remote detonator, a timer beginning to tick down from twenty-five minutes. 

“Shit,” you murmured.

“When we so choose,” Heidegger growled.

Tifa attempted to use her remote detonator, but it didn’t work; even after she pushed down the button several times with her thumb. Cloud approached her, his usually stoic expression replaced with worry. 

Heidegger leant forward, a snarl on his face. “Now, let’s raise the curtain for the main event!”

Helicopter rotors pushed harsh air towards you all as it sliced through the air, chains rocking underneath it, carrying the Airbuster. The net opened, the machine plummeting towards you all. You shoved Cloud out of the way of it, rolling to the side as Heidegger cackled, the metal bridge bumping from the weight of the machine. “The trail of the eco-extremist group: “AVALANCHE”! Terrorists who conspired with Wutai against Midgar. Your guilt is undeniable! Your punishment: death.”

The Airbuster crackled and popped as it jittered upwards, lights flickering along its body as it raised its hands. Tifa rushed towards one of the Slug-rays forcefully kicking it away; exploding it into pieces. Heidegger’s voice cut off, the screen turning to static. “I’m sick of this,” she murmured. “I’m sick of all of this!”

Barret and Cloud readied themselves, but your vision landed on to the blond as he winced, his body tensing. “Cloud,” you stepped closer to him, the heat of the Airbuster pulsing on your skin. You placed a hand on him as he absent-mindedly started at the ground, his hands shaking. 

Barret yelled over at him. “Cloud, get your head in the game! We’re counting on you man.”  
  
“Cloud…” you murmured softly. “Can you hear me?”  
  
His blue eyes unhazed like a fog lifting from a forest, then he raised the Buster Sword; you removed your hand from him, eyes lingering on his pale face. “You good?”  
  
“Mm,” he replied, turning towards the Air Buster.

You all lunged at it, slicing into its thick metal as it fired automated guns and used its hands to shoot out lasers. 

“Cloud, you alright?” Tifa called as she threw punches at the machine’s back.

“I’m fine, you guys good to go?” Cloud asked, briefly glancing over at you.

“As good as I’ll ever be!” Barret yelled, firing rounds into the Airbuster’s ‘face.’

“Yeah. Let’s beat this bastard!” you bellowed, digging your sword into one of its hands.

You and Cloud fought the Airbuster from the front, using it’s scrapped mechanisms against it, Tifa leaping up at it, and Barret firing at it with grenades and focussed attacks, but it must have taken hours for it to be worn down. 

“Behold the true power of the Airbuster!” Heidegger’s voice snarled.

The machine lifted itself up from the ground, raising its arms. You, Cloud, Tifa, and Barret flinched; preparing for the impact as it coiled its arms around itself, a huge explosion erupting, shrapnel and metal raining down like volcanic ash, embedding itself into your skin. Parts of the metal bridge crashing down around you.

You dodged out of the way, blood dripping down your arms as you darted towards it taking your sword out of its holster, slashing at it when it got in close range. 

After several hits from your party, the mechanism began uncontrollably quivering, and whirling, clearly malfunctioning. Cloud and the others froze, but instinctively you charged toward them.

“LOOK OUT!” you yowled, ramming them out of the second shockwave’s way. Cloud tumbled to the ground next to Tifa and Barret. 

Falling rubble raining on to the metal bridge, your fingers shakily gripping onto one of the loose hanging pieces of metal planks. The metal walkway fractured as it slid downwards, scaffolding crashing chaotically downwards. Embers singed your hand, causing a grunt to fall from your lips; your legs dangling at least a hundred feet off of the ground.

Tifa rushed towards the edge, panting heavily as she looked down. “[y/n]!”

Your eyelashes fluttered as you glanced up, a sheepish laugh escaping your throat. “Well, this is pretty much my worst nightmare.”  
  
Cloud leant down, his voice hurried and panicked. “Give me your hand. [y/n]!”

Your free hand reached towards him, your fingers mere centimetres apart, Cloud grunted as he attempted to grip hold of your hand but the sharp sound of gunfire prevented him from reaching you.

Barret ran a hand over his face. “We don’t have long to get clear!”

“It’s fine,” you gasped. “Just get out of here! If you don’t, all of this’ll be for nothing!”  
  
Slug-rays circled around your group, your eyes narrowing against the lights. Their guns turned towards you as Barret grabbed hold of Tifa, dragging her away as she cried out. Cloud hesitated and you nodded up at him reassuringly. “I’ve survived worse than this. Go.” 

Cloud stared at you, his stoic expression replaced with guilt. “Thank you.” He turned towards Barret and Tifa, dashing after them through the exit.

A burst of flames forced your grip to release, and you began plummeting towards the ground below. You closed your eyes, preparing for the worst.


	7. Bad Timing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo! Another chapter, hope you like this one. The tags have been updated.

_“Wake up…”  
  
“[y/n],” _

_“Can you hear me?”_ _  
_ _  
_ Your chest painfully rose and fell, the world around you, a void. “...Zack?”   
  
“[y/n], why’d you always get into trouble like this, huh?” Bright sapphire eyes emerged through the white mist, velvet black hair moving slowly; though no sign of breeze was present. The crease of leather echoed in your ears as he stepped forward, his body swaying confidently, reaching one of his gloved hands towards you - his lips creased into a smile. “Give me your hand.”   
  
“Have I kicked the bucket?” 

“No,” Zack reassured you, amusement glistening in his eyes; moving his hand closer towards you. “Here.”  
  
“You’re not-” you coughed, your words strained, smoke still crushing your lungs. “Cloud took your Buster Sword.”   
  
“Is that so…?” Zack softly questioned, he dropped his offered hand, coiling it around your left shoulder. 

Shards of glass shattered in your mind, static fizzling around Zack’s comforting voice, the white void twisting into a crimson red sky, bodies littering around you.

Leather boots tread through the hot ground. Flames heating your body as you painfully breathed in, gasping sharply as gloved hands clutched at your face. “[y/n!], get up! [y/n]!”

Blurred figures splayed out beside you. “Cloud…” you hoarsely growled, your strained vision moving over to his limp body, his blond hair moving wildly from the heavy wind.  
  
“I’m the last of my kind,” a smooth voice growled, long silver hair swaying amidst the heavy smoke. “And you, you’re all empty.”   
  
“Why did you do this?” Zack yowled, stepping defensively in front of you and Cloud. “They didn’t-”

“-Make it…”

It twisted and contorted into something else. “Do you think we’ll make it, [y/n]?” Blond hair swayed gently, piercing blue eyes stabbing you. 

“What do you mean?” you asked, biting down on an apple.

“As a SOLDIER,” Cloud replied, his voice warm and naive, the dark sky hanging above you out of place. “Do you think I can be as strong as Sephiroth?”  
  
“Mm, it depends on how hard you work,” you joked, knocking Cloud’s shoulder with your own playfully. “Why? Want to impress him?”   
  
“Not him,” Cloud replied quietly, fiddling with a heap of small pebbles under his fingers. “I want to prove I can be something to myself… and- no never mind.”   
  
“Aww, come on, spit it out!” you laughed. “Who is it? Tifa?”

A shadow fell over the two of you, your face flushing as Zack approached you. A bright grin on his face. “Hey, guys! What’re you up to?”

Sharp pain travelled down your spine. “[y/n],” Sephiroth’s voice murmured. “And you call yourself a second-class SOLDIER?”

 _“Hellooo…?”_ A soft voice echoed.

 _“Hey, can you hear me…?”_

The night sky dissolved, your vision fixating upon a broken wooden roof hanging above you; rays of sunshine beaming down, warming your cold skin. The scent of flowers enveloping the room, a familiar face anxiously gazing downwards. Her bright virescent eyes reflect the lush greenery protecting your aching body.

“You’re finally awake!” she gasped, brown strands of her hair framing her slender face. “Are you okay? That was quite an entrance.”  
  
Grunting, you struggled to sit upright, your confused brain trying to scramble all of the information together and pack it tightly in a box. “Ugh…” you groaned, rubbing your hands over your bruised face. “What Sector is this?” you inquired, your voice meek. 

“Sector 5,” the familiar woman informed you, her hands behind her back as she peered down. “You’re in the church. It’s lucky you landed on the flowers, they must have cushioned your fall.”  
  
“And the roof didn’t?” you sarcastically added earning a small laugh from her. “I don’t think I’ve broken anything,” you sighed, checking over your body. “Oh, shit! Sorry, I’ll move. Don’t wanna crush your flowers.” 

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. They’re tougher than they look,” she beamed. “This church seems to have a special power, they say you can't grow grass and flowers in Midgar. But for some reason, the flowers have no trouble blooming here.”

You limped away from the flower bed, using the hilt of your sword to drag yourself on your sore feet, swaying a little as you narrowed your eyes at the lady. “Have we met…?”  
  
“Come to think of it…” Her emerald eyes flickered over your face for a few moments, then they widened. “...[y/n]?”   
  
“Aerith?” you spluttered, your racing mind finally catching up with your senses. “It’s been a while, huh?”   
  
“Sure has!” She giggled excitedly, she pulled out a napkin from her pocket. “Your face is a little dirty, here.”   
  
She dabbed the material gently over your skin, wiping away the stubborn soot. Once she pulled away, you briefly gazed around and peered at the roof, letting out a small huff of air. “Sorry I busted the roof.”   
  
“You think I care about that?” she laughed. “Rather the roof than you, right?”   
  
“Yeah,” you lightly chuckled. “I can’t believe we bumped into each other like this.”   
  
“I always remember how scared you were of heights back in SOLDIER,” she added worriedly. “It must have been a pretty bad experience, huh? I can’t believe that after all these years...” Silence fell around you both for a few moments, then she broke through it. “Say, are you still in SOLDIER?”   
  
“No, not anymore,” you replied, leaning against your sword. “I left, shortly after Heidegger took over the troops when Lazard went missing.”   
  
“You’ve changed quite a bit,” Aerith noted. “You’re not as small.” She gestured at your height with her hand with a small smile. “Oh, I almost forgot, you dropped some of your materia on your way down here.”   
  
She picked up some Lightning materia, placing it into the scarred palm of your hand. “Though the one I have is good for absolutely nothing.”   
  
“What do you mean?” you asked, pocketing your materia, the light glow of it briefly illuminating your pocket.

“It just doesn't do anything, but I feel safe just having it. After all, It was my mother's…” Aerith murmured, strolling around the flower bed. She paused in her tracks, peering at you. “Pretty crazy, huh? Us meeting again like this. You should stay here for a while, we can catch up on what we’ve both been up to.”

“I’d like that,” you replied with a dip of your head.

She jumped excitedly up and down. “Really, you will? In that case, where should we start?” She broke off, peering away. “Huh?”

The tap of heels against the wooden floor echoed around the church, Aerith gazing over your shoulder at the party crashers. “Sorry, bad timing on my part,” Aerith murmured, her lips down turning.

“I’ll see myself in, thanks!” one of the men confidently exclaimed, his red hair swaying as he strode in through the large entrance, rays of light from the arched windows hitting against his exposed chest as he lazily patted his weapon on his shoulder, he stopped a few metres from you. “Don't worry about me.”

Hot white flashes burnt your mind, helicopter rotors whirring, slicing through the sky; black hair slipping by your vision, somebody's lips moving as Zack stood near you, but instead of a voice, it was replaced by a long deafening noise. Red hair and blue eyes piercing through you as Shinra machines charged forwards.

A blurred face rushed to the front of you, eyes worriedly flickering over your face. Her voice trying to cut through the sound.  
  
Blinking, your senses returned to normal, Aerith’s voice grounding you back to reality. “[y/n]? You scared me a little there,” she stated, her hands resting on your shoulders. “You were clutching your head.”   
  
“I’m fine,” you replied hastily, diverting your gaze to the red-head. “You seem familiar.”   
  
“Yeah,” he lazily drawled, sloping his lean torso slightly forwards. “You’re that second-class SOLDIER that Shinra has been searching for.” He straightened his stance, placing his weapon back onto his shoulder, his head tilting subtly.

“You know this traitor?” One of the guards blurted.

Reno flicked one of his hands to the side to silence him, his eyes searching your face in interest. “In fact, we’ve met a few times, right?”

“Reno…” You tested his name on your tongue, your mind scouring through memories to fit together like broken puzzles.   
  
Reno’s lips curled in amusement. “I take it you're an Ex-SOLDIER now.” He took a few steps forward, analyzing your face. “Still got the eyes though.”   
  
Aerith sauntered to your side, her hair pushed lightly by the refreshing breeze; spending hours treading through smoky buildings couldn’t be good for anyone's health. One of the guards gulped nervously as he spoke. “Sir, want him taken out?”   
  
“Yeah, he's a weird one,” one of them replied, laughing slightly.

“Shut up,” Reno coldly barked. “I haven't decided yet.”

“Indecisive,” you replied, moving away from Aerith, stalking calmly around the flower bed. “Still the same as back then.”  
  
A short snort of amusement sounded from him, then he chuckled, bending briefly over. “I can see where you get your attitude.” He corrected his stance, his guards readied their weapons. “Well, I suppose I could get two in one,” Reno drawled thoughtfully, he briefly gestured towards you with his weapon. “You and the little lady.”   
  
Aerith licked her dry lips, nervously stepping in front of you. “Help me out, please,” she implored. “Just do this for me, okay?”  
  
You groaned lightly. “Fine,” you mumbled, rubbing a hand through your hair. “But you owe me one.”   
  
Reno flashed a quick grin. “Well, well, well, isn’t this interesting. Come on then, [y/n]. Show me what you got.”   
  
You removed your sword from its holster, changing your stance. Reno raced towards you, his Electro-Mag rod rising into the air. You both met in the middle of the charge, as you twirled around him, fencing against his weapon; sparks flying into the air. He slammed the rod against your sword, pushing you back towards the flower bed.   
  
“Hey, watch the flowers!” Aerith yelled.

Reno leant towards your face smirking, his breath trailing over your skin. “You heard the lady!”

You knocked him backwards, somersaulting out of the way as his guards fired at you; the bullets rebounded off of your sword as you used it as a makeshift shield, your body still aching from the fall into the church; although you tried to numb it through some cure materia. 

With a few quick slashes of your blade, the guards fell backwards, tripping over the wooden chairs. Reno watched them fall with a sigh, stepping over their unconscious forms. “Three years later, and you still avoid killing people. The SOLDIER life wasn’t meant for you, yo.”

“Tch, says you,” you retorted, slowly stepping in sync with him. “You Turks act tough, but you’re just lapdogs for President Shinra.”

“Aww, is that what you think?” Reno cooed, faking upset as he placed his free hand to his chest. “We’ll see about that.”  
  
His figure flickered into blue orbs, light swiftly trailing behind you and catching you off guard, you tumbled to the floor, one of his boots pinning you down. He leant close towards you, his ponytail slipping slightly to the side of his back. “Let’s see you wriggle your way out of this one.” 

He raised his Electro-rod, a smug smirk painting his mouth, then he crashed it towards you. Thinking quickly, you grabbed hold of his ankle, twisting him over. You both rolled, slamming against one of the pillars as Aerith worriedly watched, her hands clasping together.

You pinned him down, his breathing quickening for a moment as you rose your sword, the sun rays glancing off it. With a loud thud, you slammed it centimetres away from his torso, then you withdrew it, rolling backwards close to Aerith. You leant close to her. “C’mon, let’s make a break for it.”

“Right.” Aerith nodded, you gripped her hand dashing towards the back door of the church and up a set of stairs towards the rafters. The wounds Reno managed to inflict on you caused you to stumble slightly as you tread across the sides of the rooms, but Aerith steadied you.

“Hey,” she quietly whispered. “Uh, I know now isn’t exactly a great time, but did you know someone with blond spiky hair by any chance?”  
  
“What?” you huffed as the guards tried to search for the two of you as thick wood shielded you both from view.   
  
“I gave him a flower, he was dressed in first-class SOLDIER clothes,” Aerith murmured. 

“Yeah, I know him,” you replied quietly as you hugged the wall carefully sidestepping. “Why?”  
  
“Just… he reminded me of-”   
  
“Up there!” One of the guards yelled. 

“Shit!” you hissed, placing your sword in front of Aerith as they fired.

“Hey! No shooting!” Reno snarled.

The wood beneath you cracked, and Aerith tumbled downwards, landing on the damaged floor below. “Aw, man,” Aerith moaned, rubbing her tail bone. 

“Are you okay?” you hurriedly asked, leaning over the side.

“Yeah, I think so,” Aerith mumbled.

“If there’s so much of a scratch on her, you’re done,” Reno stated coldly to one of the guards as he tried to mask a limp from the sprained ankle you gifted him.

“Sir!” the guard hurriedly replied.

“We bring her in, in one piece,” Reno retorted, side-eyeing Aerith. 

The guards tried to corner her, but you quickly rolled a stray barrel down towards them, it crashed over their bodies and they let out a pained grunt; Aerith made a dash for it, as one of the guards raised his gun again. “Move and I’ll shoot!”  
  
“No, you won’t!” Reno ordered in exasperation. 

“But, sir!” the guard argued.

You were searching around for something to help her up, your eyes finally settling on a chandelier; using your arms, you quickly grasped the scaffolding on the roof, pulling yourself over toward it. With one of your hands you removed your sword from its holster and snipped the chandelier's chain.

It crashed downwards, causing the closest guard to flinch. “Run!” you exclaimed down at her.

“Okay!” Aerith responded, hurrying up the stairs.

“Enough of this shit,” Reno sighed. “Do I have to do everything myself?”  
  
One of the guards raised their weapons upwards towards you as you clambered on the scaffolding towards Aerith. Then they shot, most of the bullets missing.

You used your legs to propel yourself forwards, landing close to her. “What a hassle,” you complained.

“Sorry,” Aerith replied, looking down at her hands.

“No, not you,” you retorted. “Him.”  
  
Reno had knocked by one of his guards, making his way up after you both. You glanced back at Aerith. “We need to find an exit, or we’re screwed.”   
  
Aerith scrutinized the surrounding area quickly, then she pointed. “Up there!”   
  
The hole you left in the roof made a perfect escape route, she dashed ahead of you as Reno was close on your tail. Swiftly, you followed after her, knocking over various objects to slow him down, but he jumped over them.

Reno’s tight hold coiled around you, causing your body to slump onto the cold floor. “Crap.” You tried to worm away from him, lifting your head. “Aerith! Get out of here!”  
  
“What about you?” Aerith exclaimed. “I’m not losing you again, [y/n]!”   
  
“Ugh,” you groaned as Reno restrained your hands behind your back. “Just… get out of here.”   
  
She shook her head, hopping down, and raising a Guard Stick, sending magic plummeting towards Reno. He gasped out, then gunfire erupted again, hitting your sides causing you to stumble over. Guards surrounded you, forcing you to your feet as Aerith cried out, struggling against Reno’s hold. “Come on, let’s go.” Reno snapped.   
  
He strode down the stairs with Aerith placed over one of his shoulders, his limp becoming slightly more prominent. He dropped her close to you, she tried to launch at him but one of the other guards grasped her.

You lowered your head with a long sigh. “Sorry, Aerith. I’m not in tip-top shape.”  
  
“It’s not your fault,” she replied, slightly shaking her head. “I was too confident.”   
  
“That’s right,” Reno replied with a light scoff. “Let’s get you, two troublemakers, into the helicopter. Take them away!”   
  
“Yes, Sir!” the guards exclaimed, turning you both away from the back doors.

You tread by the flower bed, one of the guards stepping on one of the plants. “Hey!” Aerith yelled. 

“Watch it,” Reno ordered the guard. “Stop stomping on the flower bed. Honestly, you’d think you were a herd of Elfadunk with the way you’re charging over everything.”  
  
“Sorry, Sir.” 

Reno strolled beside you, his aquamarine eyes fixing on your face, a small smirk on his lips. “Lady luck must be on my side today.”  
  
You remained quiet for the rest of the journey outside, orphans scattering away through the streets, angry adults yelling at Reno and the guards to release Aerith as they pushed their way through the more unlucky areas, filled with rubbish and worn down shacks. 

As you trudged onwards, you spotted Ms Folia gazing at you, placing some of the children behind her. She gazed up, her jaw tensed and her brows furrowed.

The guards threatened all the people against yours and Aerith’s ‘arrest’. “Real classy,” you mumbled sarcastically. “You guys all the same.”  
  
After another ten minutes, you reached the outskirts of Sector 5, a graveyard dotted with a few rogue monsters. “Get in there!” one of the guards snarled, forcefully shoving you into the back of the helicopter with Aerith.

Reno sat on the opposite side of the cabin, his arms draping over the seat as he sighed out in relief, scratches and tears present in his clothes from your sword. The guard slammed the door shut, climbing into the front of the helicopter. “You two are a real handful, you know that? Almost cost me my job…”  
  
You peered out the window, jiggling one of your legs in frustration, Aerith looked down at her lap, her mother’s materia in her hands. Reno huffed, leaning forwards as the pilots spoke loudly to one another in the cockpit. “Not biting back?” he asked you in amusement. 

“Leave him alone,” Aerith retorted. “He’s gone through enough today.”  
  
“I noticed,” Reno laughed. “Falling through the roof after having a run-in with President Shinra AND Heidegger? Man, those two must be pissed at you. I hope I get paid double for this,” Reno stated, leaning backwards in his seat, his goggles reflecting the clouds as the helicopter’s loud rotors whipped through the air.

Aerith glanced at you worriedly, placing her hand on yours, offering a small smile; her voice a small whisper as she leant near your ear. “It’ll be alright, you always knew how to get Zack out of trouble back in SOLDIER, I’m pretty good at escaping too.” She pulled away from you, although her hand remained on yours.  
  
You stared at her, returning her smile. “Yeah, Zack sure did get himself into trouble,” you said slowly, your eyes flickering back to the sky. “I… I still miss him.”   
  
“I do too,” Aerith replied, pushing some of her hair behind one of her ears. “But, hey. At least we’re together in this mess, right?”   
  
You laughed slightly. “I guess, it was never boring when you and Zack were around, that’s for sure.”

Reno shifted, his eyes narrowing. “You gave Shinra a long run around until now, [y/n]. Pch, you and that other SOLDIER friend of yours sure were good at avoiding us.”

Anger began bubbling inside your throat, but you tried to swallow it, not feeling in the mood to give him a snarky comment. 

He blinked, briefly looking away from you, his expression far away as the pilots spoke to another higher up guard on the radio.


	8. Seventh Heaven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is from a third-person pov of the other characters! There will be a few chapters like this, but I'll always put a note down for them.

Seventh Heaven lit up the slums as AVALANCHE tread back to it, their boots pushing through the cracked mud and their shadows falling over the small homes. Tifa sighed, her dark hair swaying as she walked next to Cloud, her red eyes flickering over his face. “Cloud, what happened back there wasn’t your fault. Besides I’m sure [y/n] is fine! He always has a way of getting out of situations like this.”  
  
“Yeah, he’s cheated death more than a couple of times,” Barret added, stepping inside of the bar’s entrance, neon signs lighting up the tables and chairs dotted neatly around the room. “I wonder where the hell he landed.”   
  
Tifa strode behind the bar, fixing drinks for everyone as Cloud silently stood near the stools; his bright eyes unfocussed as Marlene rushed towards Barret, hugging him. 

“Come on,” Barret stated. “Let’s go to the hideout.”  
  
Tifa, Barret and Cloud stood on the elevator, the pinball machine flashing colours, playing 8-bit music as they pulled its lever. The lift whirred, finally clicking into the basement. After a few minutes, Cloud finally spoke. “If he didn’t push me out of the way, this never would’ve happened.”   
  
Tifa placed a shot glass next to him, her brow creased with worry. “Cloud…”

"He should have stayed here," Cloud stated, stands of his blond hair falling over his forehead. He moved towards the table, sitting down next to Barret. "He looked ill before we left for the train station. It was my job to-"  
  
Tifa shook her head. "It wasn't your job to look after him, it was his choice to come with us."

Barret nodded, his arms folded. "And if he didn't come, you would have been screwed, SOLDIER boy."

Cloud shifted in his seat, his blue eyes darting to the table, then the click of the elevator whirred. He stood up, his hand wrapping around the handle of the Buster Sword.

“Hey, guys!” Biggs yelled as he rushed away from the pinball machine with Jessie and Wedge hurrying after him.

“Biggs! You made it!” Barret exclaimed as he picked up Marlene, a small laugh bubbling out of her.

Biggs turned towards him, catching his breath. “Someone I know in Sector 5 told me what happened to [y/n] after he landed there.”  
  
“He’s in Sector 5?” Cloud questioned, slipping off the stool as he held onto his glass. “What happened?”   
  
Jessie shook her head. “It’s not exactly great news…”   
  
“A group from Shinra were seen leaving with him and a local flower girl from the church,” Biggs informed everyone, his red headband creasing slightly. “My guess is they’re taking them to Sector 0, it’s where they usually hold wanted people.”

“Sector 0?” Tifa exclaimed. “What would they want with him?”  
  
“[y/n]’s one of us, right?” Barret stated. “If he’s in AVALANCHE, they could have taken him captive for answers.”   
  
“That could be one of the reasons,” Jessie replied, slightly dipping her head. “But, we found out something else. Biggs asked some of the kids in Sector 5, apparently [y/n] is a wanted SOLDIER for betraying Heidegger, he’s been on the run from them since for a few years now. We don’t much more than that, but the fact he also works for AVALANCHE would most likely mean big payouts for the people who’ve taken him too.”   
  
“Well, let’s go get him then!” Barret yelled. “We’ve sneaked into Sector 0 before, right? We can do it again. I’m not having one of our team falling into those bastard’s hands.” Barret peered at Cloud, his brow creasing. “Anyway, you used to work with the guy, how come you don’t know any of this stuff?”   
  
Cloud became silent, his lips firming together as he glanced away. Tifa stepped to the side of him, feigning a smile. “So, what’s the plan?”   
  
Biggs sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, first of all, we need to make a plan to get inside of Sector 0 again, without being spotted. Shinra likes to keep their prisoners in holding cells while they sort out the paperwork with the higher-ups. My guess is that we have a few days before they start doing interrogations.”

“We need to split up,” Wedge added, moving over towards the group. “If we all go together, it’ll be too dangerous. Shinra knows what we all look like now, and if we get caught too, it’ll be the end of the line.”  
  
Tifa frowned, as creaks echoed above the floorboards. “Hold on,” she murmured. “I think someone’s listening in.” She got up, waiting for the footsteps to silence, then she used the elevator; a loud thud booming above the basement.

Cloud and Barret rushed upwards, they skidded to a stop near a suspicious man, wearing what seemed to be clothes won at the tournaments in the Wall Market. Tifa slammed him against the wall, using one of her forearms. “You were spying on us, weren’t you?”  
  
He laughed nervously but was quickly silenced as Tifa crushed him with one of her hands. He raised his hands in surrender and she loosened her grip, he panted for breath. “Okay, okay. I’ll talk!” he gurgled.

“You better,” Cloud threatened, striding close to Tifa with Barret, raising the Buster Sword. “What do you want?”  
  
“I work for Shinra as an informant!” he croaked, Tifa still keeping him in place as sweat beaded on his skin. “I was ordered to find leads about AVALANCHE.”

“People like you always have someone else they run to,” Barret stated. “You got some shiny Wall Market tournament rewards locked on to your belt there.”

Tifa scowled at the spy. “If you don’t start talking…!”  
  
“Alright!” he cried. “I sometimes help out Don Corneo.”   
  
“Don Corneo…?” Cloud murmured.

“Yes, yes! He… uh… he knows what the higher-ups are planning to do with that SOLDIER. He also knows about a mission Shinra is planning in Sector 7.”

“A mission in Sector 7?” Barret inquired, frowning. “What that might entail?”  
  
“I’m sorry!” he spluttered. “That’s all I know. If you want to talk to him, one of you will have to enter the bride contest he holds each year.”   
  
“And if we can talk to him…” Tifa murmured. “Thanks for the info!” She uppercut him, knocking him out cold, she turned towards Barret and Cloud. “I’ll go, I know someone that works there. He’ll be able to help to get me into the contest.”

“Alone…?” Cloud questioned worriedly.

“Well, there’s not anything else I can do, is there?” Tifa sighed. “We need to find out what they’re planning, not just for [y/n], but also for Sector 7.”  
  
Barret glanced away thoughtfully as Biggs threw the spy over his shoulder. “Wedge is right, better to split up for this one. I’ll stay in Sector 7 with Jessie, Wedge and Biggs can handle breaking into Sector 0.”   
  
Cloud narrowed his eyes at him. “But what about Tifa? The Wall Market’s a dangerous place.”   
  
“I can handle it,” Tifa replied confidently. 

Jessie cleared her throat, Cloud peered over at her as she gave a small smile. “Well, I suppose Cloud could always tag along behind her out of sight. Just, don’t be too obvious about it, okay?”

Tifa nodded. “That sounds like a plan.” She looked over at Biggs and Wedge. “You two better be careful.”  
  
Wedge offered a thumbs up, a dopey grin on his face. “Will do!”   
  
“I’ll make sure the spy doesn’t get out of our sight,” Jessie added. “I’ll prepare some more weapons and for us all too.”   
  
Tifa smiled, her red eyes twinkling in the light. “Thanks, Jessie.” She blinked, stepping over to Cloud as he stoically inspected the floor. She laid a hand on his arm. “Come on, Cloud. The sooner we can get information about Sector 7, the quicker we can figure out what Shinra want with [y/n] and the Flower Girl." 


	9. Bathroom Breaks

White paint cloaked the rusting walls of the room you were placed into, bright lights hitting into the darker corners of the four walls. Alpine tables and plush expensive chairs crowded around the living space, a medium sized television with no reception sitting on a well-used desk and a bunk bed in one of the other corners. The clink of chains coiled around your ankles and wrists as you paced around in circles, Aerith sitting and watching; her emerald eyes trailing after you.

Unlike you, she had nothing in place to restrain her movements, but she was visibly tired. Eyebags peaked slightly under her lower lashes, her hair slightly unkempt from all the running. A sigh fell from her mouth as she shifted on one of the couches, placing her knees near her chest. “[y/n], the pacing isn’t going to do anything, we need to make a plan.”   
  
“I know,” you sighed. “It’s just… I hate being cooped in here. The television is just decoration at this point. They’ve cut any communication from the outside world.”   
  
Aerith rested her chin on one of her forearms. “I wonder why they didn’t put chains on me,” she murmured. “You should sit with me, [y/n]. You’ll just tire yourself out.”   
  
“Fine, I guess it’s best if I preserve my energy, anyway.” You moved over to her side, lazily sitting down next to her with a small groan, the cold restraints brushing your skin. “How many days do you think we’ll be spending here?”   
  
“My guess is two or four days, they usually have to sign papers to transfer us to different places. After that… we might be split up into different cells,” Aerith replied.

“So, our best shot at getting out of here is before they sign those papers,” you stated. “You’ve got out of here a few times, right? What's the best route?”   
  
Aerith frowned thoughtfully, then peered at you. “We’re on floor sixty-seven at the moment, in one of the fancier detainment areas. Security is pretty tight here, but it is possible to sneak by the Shinra guards when some of them swap shifts.” 

“What’s that funky smell I keep getting?” you inquired, lightly rubbing your nose.

“This floor also has the science department, it’s probably chemicals from the laboratories,” Aerith answered.

You leant back on the chair, the chains trailing on your abdomen. “Right, so where do we start?”

“Well, the first thing is to get those chains off of you,” Aerith replied, pointing at the cuffs.

“Yeah, that’d be a good start,” you sighed. “They took our weapons from us, so we’ll need to use something else.”   
  
Aerith squinted, then a smile painted her face. “The restroom on the floor below us has some useful things you can use. The men’s room sometimes has things lying around that the guards have forgotten to pick up, it’d be your best chance. But getting back to this room might be a bit tricky.”   
  
“I’d have to find a way to make it look like I haven’t removed the chains right?”   
  
“Yes, and this room has some ‘leisurely activities’ to keep us preoccupied,” Aerith added. “There’s some thread over there for sowing - obviously they removed the needle.”   


“That’s counter-productive,” you growled.

“Yeah, but if you tied the thread around the chains, you could make it look like the cuff is still attached - I’d give you a hairpin, but I only use hair bobbles”

“It’s fine,” you answered, checking the guards weren’t listening in.

“Here.” Aerith sat up, grabbing the thread and snapping it, placing it into your pocket. 

“They’ll be keeping our weapons in the storage units on the restroom floor, right?”

“Yep, that’s the one, but for now let’s focus on getting you free, good luck,” Aerith uttered, briefly placing one of her hands on your forearm.

You smiled at her, then stumbled clumsily upwards, nearly tripping on the chains as you dragged your feet towards the door. “EXCUSE ME!” you yowled, gripping at the small square of jail bars on the reinforced door.

“What do you want?” One of the guards asked coldly. 

“I need the bathroom,” you replied flatly. “Badly.”

He peeped into the cell window briefly, then gestured to some of the other guards. “Until we’ve got orders from the higher-ups, we’ll let you attend to your needs - but if you try anything, there’ll be trouble.”

“Sure,” you answered in boredom, as the door swung open, guards grasping at your back and forcing your forwards. The door slammed and locked behind you as people dressed in lab coats rushed over the outstretched red carpet and down the long corridor. 

The chains dragged along the floor as you stepped into one of the elevators. One of the guards stepped forward, pressing the floor number: sixty-four. The aluminum glossy doors then drifted shut, the odd sensation of the floor sliding downward when you're just standing still rising in your stomach. Three music notes jingled after a few minutes, the doors opening once more.

The floor was so clean, you could see your reflection as you strode forward, guests clad from top to bottom in posh clothes watching as the guards lead you down the black and grey corridors, through automatic doors; squinting as lights hit against your irises. 

“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice drawled, leather boots blocking your path. You dragged your gaze up from the floor, your vision skimming over an unbuttoned black suit, then finally aquamarine eyes and red hair. “Where are you off to?”   
  
“We’re letting him use the restroom, sir,” one of the guards exclaimed. “President Shinra gave us orders to treat him well and to not harm him unless stated otherwise.”

Reno raised one of his eyebrows. “I understand the flower girl getting that treatment, but you…?” He lifted your chin with one of his hands, a smirk on his lips. “I suppose it makes sense, no use trying to get information out of a corpse.”

You roughly titled your head away from his hand, a frown forming on your brow. “If you don’t move, I’ll piss all over your pristine floor.”

Reno snorted, stepping aside and lightly gesturing for the guards to carry on moving. “That wouldn’t be any good, would it?” Reno quipped, beginning to trail after you. “Still… I think I’ll tag along, just in case you don’t need the toilet, and try your little escape plans.”

_ Shit, can’t I catch a break? _

Once you finally arrived, older Shinra infantryman passed outside of the restroom, talking loudly and laughing about people that had recently been locked up from the different Sectors, you watched blankly as they passed, then one of the guards unlocked one of the bathroom stalls. Once you entered inside, a small hair clip immediately caught your eye. Aerith was right, some of these guys were idiots, leaving valuable stuff like this lying around - seemed to mostly be the older recruits too, sneaking in with Honey-Bee Inn workers into the stalls.

They closed the door behind you, Reno’s boots stepping close to the stall. Sighing, you sat down on the lid of the toilet, using your feet to pull the hair-pin towards you. Once you managed to grip it in your teeth, you steadied the handcuffs between your thighs. Slowly, you lifted your head, wiggling the hairpin into the lock - the chains around your hands limply fell onto your lap.   
  


“Taking your time,” Reno sighed. 

“It’s pretty hard getting comfortable with all these restraints,” you snapped back at him.

You placed the hairpin in your pocket, as you loudly sang - gripping at the thread Aerith handed you, swiftly tying it around the cuffs in an attempt to make it seem untouched.

Reno sighed. “Hurry up! I ain’t got all day.”   
  
You stood up with a sigh, flushing the chain. Reno unlocked the door, allowing you over to the sinks, his blue-green eyes constantly following your movements. You washed your hands, turning back towards him frowning. “I’ve done.”   
  
“Finally!” Reno huffed.    
  
You stepped forward towards him. “Are we going then, ‘sir’.”   
  
“Don’t be a smartass with me, [y/n],” Reno sneered, red strands of his hair shifting over his face as he loomed closer towards you. He roughly pushed you forwards out of the restroom and towards the small group of guards. 

As people walked around the restrooms, quietly speaking to one another, a familiar second-class SOLDIER passed your vision, a metal helmet obscuring his eyes and nose. His jaw tensed as he walked close towards you. “Sir,” he began.

He briefly peered over at you, his lips downturned. Reno sighed, dragging you closer towards him, keeping you in place. “What do you want?”

“I was asked to pass a message to you,” he stated quietly. “Heidegger wants to speak with you in another few hours after lunch.”    


Anger flushed through you, your hands clenched into fists upon hearing Heidegger’s name. The SOLDIER kept his eyes fixed on Reno, then a spike of pain stabbed your head, glitched images of emails flowing down around the room, tearing it apart, Zack’s name imprinting each one, his voice evaporated as they spoke, then a hand tightly grasped your shoulder. 

Reno stared at you, light hitting against the side of his face. “It’s nearly lunch anyway now, I’ll set off down in another hour. I’ve got my hands full at the moment.”   
  
“Okay,” the SOLDIER replied, his voice slightly strained.

You were forced forwards towards the elevator, the brief headache now gone as one of the guards pushed the button: sixty-seven. “What an adventure,” Reno stated sarcastically. “It’s all the action you’ll be getting today now.”   
  
The doors finally opened again, the stench of chemicals filling your nostrils as you stepped down the red carpet, your shadow passing the walls.

“Home sweet home,” Reno mocked as the guards unlocked the doors. 

They pushed you back inside, slamming the door. Aerith rushed over to you, her green eyes twinkling with hope.

You nodded at her, Reno’s presence lingering outside. “Lunch will be delivered to you in ten minutes,” he informed you both, afterwards, he twirled around, marching down the corridor. His footsteps fading into the distance, alongside some of the other guards.

“You did it!” Aerith giggled. “Lemme see.”   
  
You removed the handcuffs with a sigh of relief, then took out the hairclip from your pocket and leant down to undo the chains wrapped on your ankles. “All done.”   
  
She smiled, brushing some of her hair out of her face. “After we’ve had some food, we can get out of here. The split shifts start about five in the afternoon and last until eight at night.”   
  
“Right.” You nodded. “Then I can get back to Cloud and the others.”   
  
“I’ll tag along,” Aerith replied playfully. “Gets boring being by myself in Sector 5.”   
  
“I’d imagine,” you replied, sitting down on one of the plushy chairs, giggling childishly as it let out a ‘thwomp’. Aerith yawned dramatically and stretched, plopping down near you.

After your food was shoved through a small hole in the door, you both quickly scarfed it down, looking for weak spots in the walls and checking when the corridor was clear outside.

When eight-hit, you used the hairpin as a lock-pick and the door swung open. Aerith stilled it before it bumped against the wall, then she closed it behind herself and leant near you. “Do you really think those cushions tucked under the blankets will fool them [y/n]?”   
  
“Shinra guards get pretty distracted this time of night, I doubt they’d bother analysing the room from the outside if it looks like we’re sleeping,” you murmured. “C’mon, let’s go.”   
  
Aerith led you down a small passageway and climbed up into the vents. She gripped your hand, helping you up into the enclosed space, a light breeze pushing against your faces as you clambered through the tunnel.

“We should have two hours to get out if we’re lucky,” Aerith whispered. “The guards do a full check of the room again at ten at night, let’s just hope the Turks aren’t around still.”

“Right, let’s hope then,” you replied, ducking under a small lesion of pipes above your head.


	10. Not Much Time

After a while of crawling, you both stopped over a vent over the storeroom. As clear as a sunny day, your weapons were laid out on top of some lockers; no security in sight. “This is our chance, Aerith,” you murmured. “I’ll go and get the weapons.”  
  
“Okay, be careful!” Aerith answered as you pulled the entryway open, slipping carefully down onto the polished floor. You straighten your stance, skulking over to your sword and the Guard Stick, you place your beloved sword back into its rightful place: your holster. Then you scooped up Aerith’s weapon, throwing it up to her. She easily gripped it, moving away from the entrance as you hopped upwards and back into the vents.

After half an hour of avoiding guards and the guests, both of you slipped over to the staircase, a giant number painted onto the side of the wall: sixty. “This is it,” she sighed, beginning to clamber down the steps. “Besides the janitors, barely any security tends to patrol on the staircases, but if we do bump into them, we’ll need to be prepared to fight.”  
  
Tiredly, you both trudged down the many metal stairs, the clack of your feet echoing up to the high ceiling and flashing red lights. An hour came and went, the floor numbers falling downwards as you trailed after Aerith. 

  
_Fifty-five_

_Fifty-four_

_Fifty-three_

_Fifty-two_

Until you had reached fifty, you blinked, narrowing your eyes as loud yelling from people on the floor below echoed upwards; it sounded like guards. “Shit! Do you think we’ve been found out?” you questioned Aerith hurriedly.

“It’s possible,” Aerith answered, frowning. “Come on, we can’t give up now! Let’s keep going.”  
  
“Alright, we’ll need to keep an eye out for any bots, maybe we should use the vents again, even if it’s much slower, it’s safer,” you stated.

“Good idea,” Aerith praised, looking down the staircase. “The SOLDIER training unit has some pipes surrounding it that we can get into.”

“It’ll be empty now,” you concluded. “When I trained, they tended to shut up shop after dinner time. Let’s go to floor forty-nine and see if we can crawl our way downwards.”

You both ambled softly into the lobby, the soft whirring of electricity rattling through the generators. Virtual-Reality computers scattered symmetrically around the metal laced floor as Aerith searched for a way into the vents, a voice caught you off guard. Laughter softly falling through the empty space, you twirled your body around to the source of the sound, expecting to see infantrymen. 

Instead, your vision fell upon Zack, his body ethereal and see-through, giggling with Kunsel. You peered downwards, seeing a younger version of yourself sitting next to them on the floor, breathing heavily. "Guys, come on, that's enough."

"Ooh, [y/n]," Zack chuckled, slightly shaking his head. "If you keep bumping into the walls while you're fighting Shiva, you'll never win."

"Obstacles are your worst enemy it seems," Kunsel said, trying to keep a neutral face.

"Well, it's pretty hard to see where the hell I'm going with a headset over my eyes," you grumpily retorted. Zack's lips quivered and he gripped his stomach bursting into fits of laughter as you got to your feet with a sigh. "I'd like to see you do better, Mr I've never lost in a fight ever."

He grabbed hold of you in a tight hug. "Aww, poor [y/n]," Zack joked, his arms coiling around your back. He released his hold when you wriggled away from him. "Cheer up, you'll get it next time."

You let out a sigh, your face flushed as you peered away from him. “Yeah, yeah. I’m going to miss working with you when you become a first-class SOLDIER.”  
  
“Not to mention jealous,” Kunsel jested, wiggling his eyebrows. “Zack will be spending a lot of time with Sephiroth now."

You huffed out a small laugh, your head drooping slightly.

"Hey," Zack murmured worriedly, his laughter ceasing. "I'll be fine. I know you're always worrying about me when I get sent on missions."

"You promise you'll be okay?" you asked, placing your hands roughly on his shoulders. "'Cause if you aren't, I'll hunt your ghost down and bother you for the rest of eternity."

Zack smiled softly. "I cross my heart and-"

"You won't die," you interjected, with a small smile.

"I won't." Zack nodded, placing one of his toned arms over your shoulder. "I'll keep in touch when I'm sent on missions without you."

Kunsel grinned. "Yeah, and I can always forward some emails to you [y/n] if Zack forgets."

“Hey, [y/n]?” Aerith’s voice sliced through the past conversation, you whipped your head around to face her.

“Yeah?”  
  
“I found a way to get into the vents,” Aerith murmured. 

“Alright, lead the way.”  
  
After another twenty minutes ticked by, you had managed to get to floor thirty via the vents and the staircases; although you both had a few run-ins with infantrymen. You easily took care of them with Aerith, travelling further down the Shinra building.

Blearing alarms rang through your ears, flashing lights disorientating you both as you hurried down to floor twenty-four. 

“Attention, two unauthorised personnel have been spotted outside of their designated areas. Find and secure the prisoners at once, I repeat, find and secure the prisoners at once! 

“Shit!” Aerith growled under her breath.

“Come on!” you exclaimed, gripping one of her hands. “No stopping now!”  
  
You both rushed down another elongated metal staircase, heading towards one of the fire escapes. As you skidded towards the exit, gunfire erupted close by, narrowly missing you both.

“How many times do I have to repeat myself!” Reno’s voice bellowed. “Don’t shoot!”

Guards hurried towards Reno, gathering their breath. “Sir, how do you want us to deal with them.”

Reno’s eyes flickered towards you as you gazed at the oncoming foes. Then he peered up at the guards. “Knock them out, just don’t kill them, got it? We need them alive.”

Elongated shadows marched towards you both, towering over you. Specks of sunlight caught your attention, the fire escape door a few footsteps away. Without a second thought, you grabbed hold of Aerith, slashing most of the infantrymen with your sword. You leapt over their bodies as they returned to the lifestream, slamming the fire escape door open with your shoulder. 

"Run Aerith, get out of here!" you exclaimed, holding the sword in front of you.

"But-" Aerith bellowed as she crawled on to the edge of the ladders.

"I'll hold them off, go to Sector 7 and tell Cloud and the others I've been caught in Sector 0. There's not much time!" 

"Right, sorry again for all of this... and thank you." Aerith quickly clambered down the ladders as guards shouted, trying to get to her.

You fought them off, but more kept on coming until something sharp knocked against the back of your head and the world blurred out of focus.


	11. Floor 67

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for mentions of syringes, and also some more Crisis Core spoilers.

A dull grey sky loomed overhead, grey clouds slowly moving westward and allowing small spots of light to bounce off of the rusted Sector 5 slums park. Your feet tread through the dried grass, ringing lingering in your ears.

“There, that should be the last of them,” Zack’s soft voice faded through into your hearing, strands of his black hair framing his face as he proudly took a few steps back, inspecting his handiwork; a wagon filled to the brim with a colourful assortment of flowers. His ocean-like eyes fell upon your face as you glanced over the plants. “Well…? What do you think? It didn’t take as long setting this up with your help.”  
  
Aerith’s lips curved into a bright smile as she dipped her head. “Now we can wait for the customers to arrive… if there are any.”  
  
“Don’t worry! They’ll come!” Zack reassured her with a confident grin. “Right [y/n]? Maybe we could scout around and advertise the flowers.”

“Sounds like fun,” you stated with a small smile as crows perched atop the metal swings, tilting their heads as they watched the three of you linger in the empty park.

“C’mon then!” Zack laughed, placing his hands on your back and playfully encouraging you forwards. “We’ll be back soon, Aerith! All of Sector 5 will have a vase of flowers in their houses once we’re done.”  
  
You glanced at Zack as he confidently marched beside you, his blue eyes focussing on the path outstretching ahead of him. The light hit against his skin, highlighting the new scar imprinted on his cheek. 

The corners of his lips upturned when he noticed you peering at him, you blinked, gazing to the side. Metal pipes intertwining around the small homes. “Zack.”  
  
“Yeah?”

“I heard from Tseng that you were sent on a holiday to Costa del Sol for a while.” Your fingers briefly brushed through your hair, awkwardly fiddling with the loose strands falling over your cheek. “Are you feeling okay?”  
  
“I’m doing better,” Zack sighed, placing his hands behind his head. “And you?”  
  
You nodded, glancing away from him. 

Zack's arm fell over your shoulders as you stepped in sync with him. “I know what it means when you mess with your hair, y’know?”  
  
“Zack-”  
  
“You’re stressed, right?” Zack stated.

A sigh fell from your mouth. “Yeah.”  
  
A small chuckle bubbled from him. “I’ve known you for a couple of years now.” Zack stared playfully down at you and waggled one of his fingers in a lecturous manner. “You can’t easily fool me.”  
  
You remained quiet, making sure your eyes were focussed anywhere but on his face.

“You miss him, right?” Zack replied quietly. 

“I do,” you eventually revealed. “I miss Angeal a lot.”

Zack moved slightly closer to you, his warmth invading your body as he breathed out. “I didn’t want to bring it up before,” Zack murmured. “But, I think I should tell you now. Angeal asked me to…” Birds chirped, their wings fluttering above you both as Zack gulped, trying to muster the energy to speak. “He asked me to give you something.”  
  
“What is it?” you questioned, your eyes finally locking with Zack’s own.

“He wanted me to give you his SOLDIER gauntlet,” Zack finally stated. “When we get back to headquarters, I can give it to you. I just couldn’t find a good time to tell you.”  
  
“It’s fine, Zack,” you replied, smiling at him. You lightly leant against him as you listened to the chatter of the civilians around you. “Thank you. I know it’s hard for you too.”

Zack brushed the worry off of his face, his blue eyes peering softly at you through his dark lashes. “I’m glad I still have good friends, like you and Aerith. I wouldn’t know what I’d do if I never met you. You’ve both helped me through so much and I want to return the favour.”

“I wouldn’t know what I’d do without you,” you replied, your voice small.

Quietly, you strolled beside him, after a while of walking, small crowds of children and a few dwellers in the slums were dotted around Sector 5, talking about Shinra and the new recruitments they were gathering.

“A-ha! Our first customer!” Zack excitedly exclaimed, gripping your hand and darting over to a young woman, he leant next to your ear with a smirk. “My charm never fails.”  
  
“Oh, please,” you rolled your eyes jokingly, trying to suppress the light chuckle that bubbled in your throat as Zack approached her, his hands on his hips as he attempted to sweet talk her into buying some of Aerith’s flowers.

When she seemed disinterested, you stepped in to give him your assistance. “Hello! I’m his assistant for the passing flower wagon. We don’t do this a lot, but our prices have been cut in half since we’re overstocked,” you began, watching as she blinked at you in interest. You gestured behind yourself with a soft smile. “Come on, don’t be shy! I know the perfect flower for you.”  
  
“Oh, okay,” she reluctantly agreed, following after you and Zack.

You gently picked up a handful of lilies and carefully handed them to her. “These flowers are great for showing your appreciation to your loved ones, friends, family and even your lover! They’re connected deeply with the lifestream and symbolise humility and devotion. Not to mention, they also smell great!”  
  
“My daughter loves lilies,” she murmured shyly. “How did you grow these? I thought you were joking at first. It’s so hard to come by plants nowadays.”  
  
“I grew them in the church,” Aerith beamed. “I thought it’d be good to see some colour in Sector 5.”

“Well, they do look pretty,” the lady concluded. “How does nine gil sound?”  
  
“Really? Thank you so much!” Aerith smiled as she took her change, placing it into her purse. 

As the woman strolled off, Zack stared at you, his face beaming. “I never knew you knew so much about lilies!”  
  
You felt your face heat up as his blue eyes reflected your face. “Uhh, my brother liked to study them. He always bought books about gardening and the symbolism about different kinds of flowers… He never got to see ones up close though. But, I’m glad I can help out a little.”

“Flowers always helped me feel better,” Aerith replied, looking back at the wagon. “Hopefully, more people will see how beautiful they are.”

“Yeah!” Zack exclaimed, jogging for a short moment in place. He halted, grinning at you and Aerith, giving a thumbs up. “Well, let’s keep going!” 

After an hour passed, you and Zack advertised the flowers around the town. A few adults and small groups of children became interested in buying some bouquets or single cuts. You leant down, passing a buttercup over to one of the orphans. He smiled and laughed, running over to the other young kids to display what he was given.

Zack watched you gently as you casually walked next to the half-empty wagon. He rubbed the back of his neck, guilt flashing briefly across his face, then distant footsteps distracted his attention away from you.

As Aerith carried on handing out the flowers, you blinked, gazing back at the rusting slide. Dark serious eyes met yours, a dark smooth suit on his body; Tseng. He folded his arms as Zack quietly ventured over to him, briefly placing a hand on your shoulder as he moved by you.

A few minutes ticked by and Zack jogged back over to you and Aerith, feigning a smile; but the worry washing over his blue eyes told a contradicting story. “We can stay here for a little while longer, but then we have to return back to base. Sephie is waiting for us. He wanted you to come on this mission with him too”  
  
“A mission…?” you questioned, helping Aerith tie up some of the bouquets. 

“Yeah,” Zack affirmed. 

Ringing screamed into your ears, blinking lights flashing quickly on to your face as the world faded into view again. Your body refusing to move, your wrists strapped down by metal restraints on what looked to be a hospital bed. Dirty curtains concealed the room circling you, metal walls blinking with flickers of red light. Shadows passed your vision, footsteps clanking against the floor.

"Argh!" you yowled, struggling against the chains. "Where the hell am I?"

A bright lamp loomed over your face and chest, slowly fizzling off as boots clicked against the floor. Murmuring voices surrounded you, as someone approached the bed. Greasy tied back raven hair and small glasses balancing on their aquiline nose. “So, this is the SOLDIER you’ve been searching for…?”  
  
“Yes, he is,” a familiar gruff voice replied. “We finally got the slippery little bastard.”  
  
“Heidegger,” you growled, attempting to struggle against the metal holding you in place. He strode over to your side, looming over you, a smug smirk twitching on his scarred face. 

“Hello, again [y/n]. How’d you like the Airbuster?” Heidegger chuckled darkly.

“It was a great pile of metal shit,” you snarled back at him. “Where’ve you taken me?”  
  
“This is the laboratory,” the man standing next to Heidegger informed you, his voice sending chills down your spine. “It’s been a while since we last met, hasn’t it? My faithful test subject.”  
  
Flashing images struck through your mind, Cloud and Zack splayed on metal stairs, bruises and cuts embedded into their skin. Glasses glinted in the darkness, an amused grin on a man’s lips.

"I..." 

"Don't remember me?" he asked. "Pity. Well, I never finished what I started last time. Now I have a chance to do so."

"It’s why you’re so weak, Sephiroth and Angeal were too soft on you," Heidegger grunted, messing with his jacket. "You were never meant to become a second-class SOLDIER, it's only thanks to them that you were able to work underneath me."

"Shut up you bastard!" you roared.

"Feisty, isn't he?" the scientist cackled, fixing his glasses. "I'll have fun with you. It's been a while since I saw someone from SOLDIER allowed in here for testing."

The doors opened and swiftly closed again as infantrymen approached into the room, black hair and dark eyes scanning the room.

“...Tseng?” you croaked, your lashes fluttering under the hot lights. 

Reno stepped beside him, meddling with the leather strap hanging from his weapon. His aquamarine eyes flickered upwards as Tseng coldly spoke, treading towards the scientist. "Hojo, we need those reports."

"Ah, yes. I'll hand them to you after I've dealt with this," Hojo replied calmly, gesturing towards you. "It's impressive it's remained alive for so long."

" _'It'_ has a name, you know," you snapped.

"Tch, names are useless here," Hojo sighed, waving you off. 

"Are you sure this is necessary?" Reno questioned, his brows furrowing. "I mean, how can we interrogate him like this?"

“We’re no longer interrogating him,” Heidegger coldly retorted. “We’ve been passed information about AVALANCHE’s current location from one of our spies. Besides…” Heidegger gripped the sides of your face with one of his hands. “If we hit them where it hurts, their little group will come buzzing in like flies to shit.”

Reno turned to the other Turk. “Tseng-"

"Heidegger's right," Tseng huffed. "[y/n] might have valuable information about his group, but if we can send them a message and drag them to us, we can easily imprison them."

Reno stared down at you, his jaw tensing. "Yes, sir."

Tseng sighed, his long hair falling slightly over one of his shoulders. Hojo strode away from the bed, clattering around in some white cabinets. “How long will you be?” Tseng impatiently asked, completely brushing your existence under the rug.

“Oh, this won’t take long. Probably about five minutes, please wait outside while I conduct my research,” Hojo replied as he picked up a syringe with blue liquid bubbling inside of it.

Tseng’s dark eyes briefly fell on you, his brow furrowing. Then he turned towards the door. “Let’s go, Reno,” he ordered. He marched out with the infantrymen, but Reno hesitated as a sharp scream fell from your lips.


	12. Biggs and Wedge

The following few days were black and grey, your mind drifting in and out of consciousness as various people towered over you in white coats. You clung desperately on to the faces of AVALANCHE and Zack as your mind drifted away into darkness, your body becoming numb as blue liquid-filled your lungs and mako rushed in your veins. 

“...[y/n]. The SOLDIER life really wasn’t meant for you, huh?” a familiar voice murmured. “This is bullshit.”  
  
A small groan fell from your mouth as you stirred awake. 

“Reno,” another voice replied a blurred face with sunglasses peering at you. “You can’t stay in here too long, they’ll find us.”  
  
“Come on, Rude, everyone knows Hojo’s nuts,” Reno let out a frustrated sigh, turning to face the other Turk. “Why would Heidegger wanna let him do tests on [y/n] anyway? He has dirt on AVALANCHE and that Flower Girl. What if none of his friends come to save him, then what? We’ll have no leads or nothing.”

“I know that we have a history with him.” Rude replied solemnly. “But - he’s just another SOLDIER. No matter what happened in the past, he is the enemy now.”  
  
“Fine,” Reno reluctantly agreed. “But, I still think letting him die would slow our mission down.”

“Heidegger hates him,” Rude bluntly replied. “It’s no secret he felt betrayed by him once he left SOLDIER.”  
  
Reno clicked his tongue, leaning against the container. “I mean… What do you think?”   
  
“This is just another job,” Rude stated.

Their faces dissolved again as alarms blared in your ears, sunlight poking in through the small windows. You groggily opened your eyes, glass caging you in as a feeble noise gurgled from your throat.

_Where am I…?_

Your fingers twitched as you stubbornly opened your heavy eyelids, silver hair drifted by your dazed vision, unmistakable bright blue eyes peering inside as you helplessly slumped over. A slender face watched you with intent, although they lacked light. His movements were almost other-worldly as he pressed one of his hands next to the glass, his eyes narrowing.

You tried to choke out his name, but nothing except a groan came from your parted lips; your body shivering as your old mentor watched you like a puppet on a string - he was meant to be dead. 

Your vision drifted downwards, falling on his bloody clothes and the katana gripped tightly in his left gloved hand. Sephiroth’s expression remained unmoving as figures darted over to him, the red lights on their helmets glowing; their shuddering arms aiming weapons at the ghost of your friend.

An odd expression tattooed on to his pale face as he moved away from your container, with one swift movement of his katana, cutting into the security; their bodies dropping lifelessly on to the polished floors. With one last glance your way, and a twisted smile; he disappeared through the laboratory's automatic doors.

The world blurred once more, then muffled voices murmured outside of the glass, red headbands tightly wrapped around their foreheads as sporadic gunfire howled through the rooms, bodies dropping on to the floor as one of the figures slammed into the glass, lights trailing behind their body. 

Metal glinted in one of their hands as they smashed into the container, shards of it rained around you as they picked you up in their arms, ducking away from guards.

“Get my experiment back!” a voice bellowed wildly. “They’re getting away with my precious work.”

“With all due respect, sir. That should be the least of your concerns!” A third-class SOLDIER exclaimed. “You need to leave now!”

“Let’s get you out of here, buddy,” a familiar cracked and nervous voice murmured. “You’ll be alright.”

“Come on, Wedge. We need to get out of here. There’s too many of ‘em!”

A small moan dripped from your mouth, your body becoming limp once again as voices drifted chaotically by your hearing, breath falling over your neck as someone carried you away from the laboratory, red lights flashing by your face.

You blinked, raising your head as guards blocked the path, Wedge and Biggs defending you. Red hair flowing and his aquamarine eyes narrowing as Biggs gently placed you aside, raising his weapon. “Let us through, or we shoot!”  
  
Reno stared blankly at the two of them for a few moments, then he sighed. “You guys never know when to call it quits, do you?”   
  
Biggs sidestepped in front of you, firmly holding his weapon in front of him. “I’m warning you.”   
  
“Oh, please,” Reno scoffed. “Heidegger’s not going to be happy about this.”

Rude gestured at the guards to arrest you all and after a brief struggle, Biggs and Wedge carried on running with you down the staircase, Reno and Rude fast on their tail.

“Almost there,” Biggs grunted, propping you on to his back. “Hang in there!”

“What the hell did they do to him?” Wedge panted, his feet clattering against the steps.

“I’m not sure, but it doesn’t look good,” Biggs responded as he raced alongside Wedge, his arms supporting you on his back.

“Uhh, what did that red-head mean back there too…? ‘Heidegger’s not going to be happy about this’...? It seemed to be aimed at you, bro.”  
  
Biggs shook his head. “I don’t know, and I don’t want to stick around to find out.”   
  
“Not you guys again!” Wedge moaned. “Cut us some slack.”   
  
Rude caught his breath, cracking his knuckles. “President Shinra was found dead, and you two just so happened into the building at the approximated time he was murdered.”   
  
“It wasn’t us!” Biggs snapped. “We came to collect [y/n] after we got the news that he was taken by you guys!”   
  
“We know that,” Reno sighed. “What Rude is saying is: it looks suspicious.”

A small huff of breath escaped your lips, almost in a scoff. Biggs glanced over his shoulder at you smirking. “I know what you mean.” Biggs looked back at the Turks, his jaw tense. “[y/n] isn’t some toy Shinra can mess around with. He’s our friend.”  
  
Wedge shifted uncomfortably, standing defensively in front of you. “And we’re not letting you have him!”   
  
Reno ran his hands over his face, then they dropped to his sides as he sighed. His focus locked onto you as your eyes remained tiredly half-lidded. He placed his weapon on his shoulder, gazing up at Rude.

He frowned down at Reno, his lips curving downwards. “What do you want to do?” 

“Aw, to hell with it with you shitbirds,” Reno barked, looking away from the three of you. “I never saw you.”  
  
“You’re letting us go?” Wedge squeaked.

Biggs passed by Wedge, knocking against one of his shoulders. “Come on, Wedge. Let’s dip out while we have the chance.”  
  
“Right,” Wedge replied.

The blaring alarms faded away into the distance, footsteps slamming against the concrete. Your eyes slowly shut, their voices dissipating as you fell as limp.


	13. Train Graveyard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another updated chapter! This one is in third-person. Hope you enjoy!

Mist surrounded degrading trains as they splayed on the cracked concrete, casting long shadows over the abandoned mass of land. Biggs and Wedge pushed through the cold air as it bit at their exposed skin, whispering through their hair. 

Biggs glanced over his shoulder, his arms still supporting [y/n] as he gathered his breath. “Looks like we lost them,” Biggs murmured, adjusting [y/n]’s limp form on his back. “What do we do now?”  
  
Wedge glanced around, hugging his arms around his chest. “I’m not sure, but this place is giving me the creeps. I’d say we should try to get out of here as fast as we can.”   
  
“Yeah,” Biggs agreed, his hazel eyes scanning the area wearily. “I’ve heard stories about this place from Sector 5. Some say that once you come in, you get trapped by an angry spirit and never come out.”   
  
“I heard those too,” Wedge hurriedly replied, swallowing the forming lump in his throat as he walked alongside his friend. “I overheard Marlene tell Tifa about this place when I was having a drink with Jessie, I hate ghost stories.” 

“Can’t say I love ‘em,” Biggs added as he pushed open a carriages rusting door, his boots treading onto the stained carpet. “Still, the idea of spirits being real always fascinated me, the lifestream is so close to us, and you’d think ghosts would like to hang out in the different Sectors.”

“I- I guess,” Wedge replied, trailing behind Biggs; flinching at every shadow that he passed.

Biggs suddenly halted, his brows furrowing as he gazed to the side, a bright blur of light wisping by his chest. “What the hell…?”  
  
“W-what?” Wedge stammered, bumping into [y/n]’s back as he dashed over to Biggs. “Sorry [y/n]!”   
  
A small groan came from his mouth as Biggs turned to face Wedge. “Careful where you step, Wedge, could’ve made me drop him.” He blinked gazing up at an elongated metal staircase stretching upwards, clinging desperately to an old building. “I thought I just saw...”

“Was it a ghost?” Wedge blurted, his hands straining the edges of his shirt. 

“Let’s keep moving,” Biggs murmured, hopping off the carriage entrance and onto the concrete. Wedge spun around as he nervously stepped after Biggs, his eyes searching for any abnormal entities.

Biggs and Wedge ventured up the creaking staircase, going through numerous doors; the paint peeling away from the walls looming inside the emptied out rooms. Strange sounds echoed through the elongated corridors, child-like handprints pressed onto wooden boxes. Biggs rammed his way through into another dusty room, although it was desolate; computers and a control panel still lit up the inside of it, emitting blue flickering lights onto the old tables and broken chairs.

Outside, a loud metal screech cried out, a carriage gripped by one of the abandoned cranes. Wedge spun round to Biggs, anxiously fiddling with the material on his headband, droplets of sweat forming on his brow. “Do you think we’re the only ones here?” 

Biggs glanced around the room, frowning deeply, scorch marks burnt sections of the room, ripped cloth laid out on the floorboards. “I suppose we’ll have to find out,” Biggs stated, trying to calm his quivering voice. “C’mon, you two. Let’s go.”  
  
He led Wedge and [y/n] down another rickety staircase, whispers of children filling their ears as they marched forwards. Then, something cold brushed by the three men, a barely visible blur of someone dressed in SOLDIER clothes, blue lights trailing behind them as they stopped and glanced back at them.

As Wedge and Biggs cautiously approached, the vision faded away from their reach, forming at a large metal closed off the doorway.

“Are they trying to lead us somewhere?” Biggs questioned, cautiously pushing himself forwards, his hands supporting [y/n] weight as he stepped down the rusted stairs. 

“HOLY SHIT!” Wedge cried. “Biggs, is that a real ghost!”

“Looks like it,” Biggs replied, trying to mask his quivering voice with calm composure. He looked around at the broken carts. “Man, how long does this graveyard go on for?”  
  
When they finally reached the bottom, the closed metal door creaked open, voices from the other side becoming louder. Biggs and Wedge readied themselves, then mako infused eyes greeted them, blond hair gently swaying as a hefty sword was angled towards his neck. 

Biggs raised his hands in surrender, then his heaving chest slowed and recognition glinted in his gaze. “Cloud…? Tifa…?”

Cloud lowered his weapon, his bright eyes scanning over Biggs and Wedge. His gaze fell upon someone dangling over Biggs’ back, and Cloud darted over to [y/n], placing the Buster Sword away.

“What happened to him?” Cloud muttered, softly removing [y/n] from Biggs’ hold and placing him into his arms. 

Wedge uncomfortably shifted. “We don’t really know… When we finally found him, he was stuffed in a container in the laboratory.” Cloud adjusted his grip on [y/n], his blue eyes scanning over his unresponsive body. After an awkward silence, Biggs elaborated. “We don’t know how long [y/n] had been in there. It might take a while for him to come round.”  
  
Tifa looked down at [y/n], her brown hair swaying as she approached him. “He was taken to the laboratory?” She trailed off, her words slowly breaking up. “They made him sick…?”

Biggs lips tensed together. “I’m not sure, everything was a blur once we got into Shinra HQ.”

“Those bastards!” Tifa yowled, punching the side of one of the carriages, it howled out; echoing hollowly around the mist. 

Tifa wrapped her arms tightly around herself, her red eyes tightly closing. “Thank Gaia, the three of you made it out.” She sighed out, glancing at Aerith, as she stiffly stood by her side, her hands clasped behind her back. “Aerith told us everything that had happened. We were all worried.”

Cloud sighed out, placing [y/n] gently on the floor, resting his head on his lap. Aerith treaded forwards, her mother’s materia tightly grasped in between her hands. She glanced up at the others nervously, her green eyes bright against the bleak surroundings. “How did you make it out?”  
  
Wedge stammered, then glanced awkwardly at Biggs. “Honestly, we kind of just made it up as we went along.”   
  
Biggs nodded, glancing down at Aerith. “While we were getting him out, security barged the doors down, claiming that we had murdered President Shinra.”   
  
“What?” Cloud asked, peering over at Biggs as he leant over [y/n].

Tifa covered her mouth, gawking between them in disbelief. “President Shinra’s… dead?”  
  
“Yeah,” Biggs stated. “We have no idea who killed him, and all the witnesses were taken out before they could speak up. There must have been hundreds of bodies splayed out over the top floors. Whoever did it was definitely an experienced fighter.”

Cloud frowned, his head drooping slightly, then red boots stepped close to him, a slender hand placed in between his shoulders. “[y/n] will be okay, you’ll see.” Aerith smiled gently down at the blond as he distantly grunted in response.

“Did you find out anything on your mission?” Biggs inquired.

“Yeah,” Tifa answered. “Don Corneo claimed that Shinra is planning on dropping the plate on Sector 7.”  
  
“Shinra scum,” Biggs muttered his teeth grit. He folded his arms, a frown plighting his tan skin. “My guess is that mission won’t be happening anytime soon now, since President Shinra’s been killed, everything is up in arms over there. No one knows what the next person is doing. It might give us a little more time to lessen the damage and evacuate everyone.” 

“And more time for [y/n] to recover,” Cloud replied, one of his gloved hands placed on his forehead. “So, they put him in the laboratory? Why?”  
  
“Sorry, bro,” Wedge sighed. “We don’t know what they wanted with him.”   
  
Cloud leant forwards near him, murmuring an apology, then he gently lifted him up as [y/n] emitted a small sound. Aerith sat upright, clasping her hands in front of her chest. “I’ll carry him from here. You should rest a while,” Cloud blankly exclaimed, turning towards Biggs and passing by him.

“Got it,” he nodded with a small smile. “Come on guys, the sooner we get out of here, the quicker we can get home and warn everyone.”

As they crashed through broken debris and metal, the same flickering figure Biggs saw earlier stepped in front of them, his lips moving; but no words came out. Aerith stumbled slightly, her eyes widening as orbs danced around him. “Another spirit?”  
  
“Geez, how many are there?” Biggs sighed.   
  
“Quite a lot,” Tifa said uncomfortably. “We had to fight a huge one earlier in the old control room.”

Aerith moved over to the ghost, her green eyes flickering over his face. “I think he wants to help lead us out of here.”  
  
“He’s the first person we’ve seen that isn’t a kid,” Tifa murmured. “Do you think he is trapped here too?”   
  
Aerith reached out to him, but he dissipated like a flickering candle. “He seems to be stuck as well. It’s weird though, his voice…. I can’t make out exactly what he’s trying to say to me.”

“W-what if it’s a trick?” Wedge spluttered. “I mean, ghosts are usually bad news right?”  
  
Aerith shook her head as lights danced distantly in the gloomy sky. “No, if he was trying to harm us, he probably would have done something already.”   
  
Cloud side-eyed her as [y/n] arms drooping over his shoulders, but he remained quiet.

They narrowly avoided phantoms and flying debris as they trailed up broken floorboards and down rusted ladders. Twinkling lights peeked through the heavy fog, shadows of buildings and lamp posts dotted in the distance.

Tifa squinted, trying to look past all of the mist, she turned to Cloud, her voice full of agitation. “This path is blocked too...? But we're so close I can see it.”

Wedge glanced over the edge of one of the broken carriages, gazing nervously around at the wreckage of trains splayed out on the concrete. “Hey, do you all think the trains could still run?”  
  
“Could give it a try,” Cloud replied, his blue eyes flickering around the area, finally landing on some more old ladders. He peered at Biggs, [y/n] legs swinging slightly as Cloud turned to face him. “Hey, it looks like there’s an old engineering room up there.”

“It would be a miracle if one of those worked,” Biggs replied, dusting his pants down. “But it’s worth a shot.”

Aerith strolled over to the ladders with Biggs and Tifa as Cloud lingered back with Wedge and [y/n], surveying the fog and clouds of swaying dust particles for any enemies. After a few minutes, a deafening metallic screech howled out and a yell of victory from Biggs.

Wedge grinned, cupping his hands over his mouth as he yelled over to them. “It worked…?”  
  
“Yeah!” Bigg’s distant voice echoed. “Wait, what the hell…?”

Strong gusts of wind rocked through the shell of hills of empty trains, a discoloured thunder cloud chaotically swirling, forcefully shoving everything in its way. The discoloured turntables activated with a loud creak, slowly spinning, sending broken carriages crashing into one another. 

Cloud grunted out as he turned away from the tornado, using his body to shield [y/n] and Wedge as the trains parted, making a small pathway. The dark vortex dissipated, the sound of small children hollowly laughing and then - silence. 

Wedge coughed out as he got to his feet. “You guys okay?”  
  
After a moment, their voices replied in kind, Cloud let out a small gasp of air he didn’t realise he was holding in. His blond hair dipped lightly as he checked over [y/n], then he placed him on to his back once again and swiftly moved down the ladders.

Once he and Wedge made it onto the floor, static crackled through the cold air. Pyreflies circling the unsaturated clouds hanging above them, illuminating the broken carts below.

Cloud and Wedge moved forwards towards the control panel, stopping at the bottom of the rusting ladders as Biggs, Tifa and Aerith remained silent and as still as statues; the sound of a radio transmitting broken voices echoing from the control panel.

A crackling noise harshly filled the air. “...The mission is aborted…. Operation plate separation....”  
  
“That sounds a hell of a lot like…” Biggs murmured.

“Got it…” Reno’s muffled reply wriggled through the static. “Since the President’s been killed, we need to....”  
  
“This is bad,” Tifa exclaimed, her hands lingering on one of the old levers. “If they aren’t planning on dropping the plate… It means they’ve been assigned a new task.”   
  
“Finding us…” Aerith concluded shakily, drooping her head. “More specifically the suspects who had murdered President Shinra.”   
  
“Me and Wedge,” Biggs sighed, running a hand through his dark hair.

“This will give them an excuse to hunt AVALANCHE down even more than before,” Tifa responded flatly. “What should we do?”  
  
Cloud glanced behind himself at [y/n], his blond eyebrows furrowing. “We get to safety, Seventh Heaven is going to be compromised.”   
  
“We need to warn the others before we find somewhere to go,” Wedge stated, his voice cracking. “If we don’t, it means Marlene, Barret and Jessie will be in danger.”   
  
“Right.” Cloud nodded.   
  
Biggs slid down the rickety ladders, shortly followed by Tifa and Aerith. He strode forward, surveying the distant slums. “Let’s hurry.”   
  
After climbing over the other decaying train carriages, fighting more monsters, and using the old control panels to create paths, they all hurried closer to Sector 7. The air became colder and damper, the empty cries of the past stalking closer behind them. 

“Almost there,” Tifa reassured everyone. “When we get back, I can make a drink for everyone before we leave.”

“I could do with a Cosmo Canyon right about now.” Wedge breathed, nervously flinching as they walked by the desolated land. 

“We’ll need to give [y/n] something to eat as well,” Tifa murmured. “He probably will struggle eating anything, so we’ll need to help him.”

“Has this happened to someone you knew before...?” Cloud asked nonchalantly as he stepped forward. [y/n]’s eyes tiredly flicking open as his chin rested on Cloud’s shoulder. 

Tifa’s red eyes lowered to the ground as she trailed after him. “Something like that.”

[y/n] groaned out behind Cloud, his arm weakly raising and pointing to an elongated shadow looming on a wall. Cloud swiftly turned towards it, but it vanished. [y/n] draped down again, his voice a small croak. “Up.”  
  
Biggs’ hazel eyes widened as he looked upwards. “For the love of-”

Phantoms started to swirl around them, freezing them in place. A dark storm cloud pulsated through their air, sending chills scratching down their skin as electricity wailed loudly, trapping them in a vortex as people's voices mingled chaotically.

Aerith covered her ears, her teeth grit as a red-eye emerged overhead, rolling over the group. A guttural growl rippled the ground, ice cracking under their feet. Cloud stepped in front of everyone, keeping his body in front of [y/n]. His blue eyes reflected the flickering lights as Biggs gasped out, the dark cloud engulfed Aerith and ripped [y/n] from Cloud’s grasp. 

He yelled out their names, reaching out to them, but his voice faded as the vortex spun closed, sending debris flying against the laced fence blocking the graveyard.

Heavy breaths fell from Aerith’s lips as she keeled over on the floor. She placed her hands on the cold concrete, propelling her torso upwards. Her brown hair swayed as her bright green eyes scanned the fog, the colourful bangles on her wrists clicking against one another as she shifted her weight. 

“[y/n]...?” she exclaimed in worry, turning her head. Then she spotted him curled limply on the floor, one of his arms outstretched as his chest rose and fell. Aerith darted over to him, nearly falling as she wrapped her hands around his torso, bringing him closer towards her. “[y/n], you’re alright… You’ll be okay.”  
  
Shadows floated above them both, phantoms gliding closer to them. Aerith glanced up as one approached them, a tear painted on the gloomy expression woven into the fabric. It lightly reached out to her and a small smile fell on her lips. “You’re only trying to help… Aren’t you?”   
  
It flinched away as she reached out to it, then glided away from her reach. Out of the darkness, bright blue pyreflies began dancing around her and [y/n], softly illuminating their faces and mud-stained clothes. They joined together, the same SOLDIER from earlier peering down at the two of them, his mouth moving once again; broken words falling from his lips.

“[y/n]... an...danger.”  
  
“Something’s coming?” Aerith murmured.

He nodded, his image flickering. Then a shadow split through him and he dissipated once again as Aerith leaned over [y/n]. She scowled as a red-eye glinted in the fog, staring through her. With a shaking arm, it’s clawed hands stretched out towards her as dark clouds twisted around it.

“You. You’re the one who...” Aerith drooped her head, her eyes fluttering closed. 

The empty black sky contorted into grey clouds, the buildings and carriages melting away, leaving only the icy ground below her shaking hands. [y/n] blinked beneath her, struggling to turn his head as children rushed by them both. 

“Are you ready?” A boy cried out excitedly, his body see-through as he stopped close to them both. “Well, are you?”  
  
Aerith raised her hand, then he raced by her as another boy yelled out. “I’m ready now!”   
  
“Me too!” a girl exclaimed, sitting beside [y/n]. 

“I found you!” the boy yelled excitedly as he stopped near her.

She giggled sitting up. “No way!”

After a few more moments, the boy rushed over to another child a wide smile on his face. “I found you too!”  
  
“Aww, you got me,” the other boy murmured sadly. He blinked looking around, his eyes glazing over Aerith and [y/n] as they remained still. “Hey… where’s Aerith?”   
  
A flash of blinding light filled the clouds, Aerith squinted, raising one of her hands over her eyes as she watched a little girl in a yellow dress scramble into view. She crouched down, cuddling her legs as she yelled. “I’m ready!” After a few moments, she got to her feet, the grey clouds swirling around her as she looked around at the void. She cupped her hands over her mouth as she tried again. “I said I’m ready!”

Aerith stared at herself in disbelief, her green eyes watching her younger self as she searched for her friends to no avail. The younger version of her crouched on the floor, wailing out as [y/n] gazed up at Aerith, eyebags clinging to his under eye as his fingers twitched. 

Aerith keeled over, covering her face as tears streamed down her face. [y/n] slowly breathed out, his head turning to the side.

The heavy wind rushed through their ears as bright lights flickering once more, a calm voice whispering. She breathed out, trying to silence her sobs as the clouds swirled chaotically around them, orbs fluttering around her. 

“Help me,” a broken voice murmured.

A gloved hand touched Aerith’s shoulder and she gasped out, kind-red eyes laying on her face. “I found both of you.”  
  
Aerith sighed out as Tifa helped her to her feet. “I guess you did,” she replied, wiping her eyes. Tifa rested her hand over her shoulder as she softly smiled down at her, then the sound of hooves collided with the ground, rushing closer towards them. Cloud grabbed [y/n], rolling out of the way of Eligor as the spectre skidded to a halt, kicking up dust particles around it. 

The horse reared upwards, whinnying loudly. Then it’s feet stomped back on to the floor, shaking its head as Tifa, Aerith and Cloud stepped backwards. “I need to find a safe place for [y/n]!”  
  
Tifa peered over at him, readying herself for battle. “Right! Aerith and I have got this. Don’t worry Cloud, we’ll buy you some time.”   
  
Cloud nodded, rushing behind some of the carriages carrying [y/n] as Tifa and Aerith began battling against Eligor, its wheels screaming out as it paced around them, snorting. 

Cloud skidded close to a small pathway, the ground below him slowly being engulfed in frost as mist fell from his mouth. He hurriedly picked up some fabric lying limply on the floor, placing it over [y/n] as he quietly breathed. “This won’t take long,” Cloud muttered, taking out a scarf from his inventory and placing it over [y/n]. His eyes briefly flickered open, although his stare was glassy. “You’ll be alright. Just hang in there,” Cloud stated, standing upright and gripping the handle of the Buster Sword.

He moved away from [y/n] as he groaned out, becoming limp. 

Cloud rushed forwards, slashing at the wheels of Eligor as it grunted out. Light glimmered in the palm of one of its hands, sending magic plummeting towards the three of them. It’s red eye watching as Aerith stumbled backwards and raised her Guard Stick, counter-attacking it.

Tifa dodged out of the way of its hooves as it charged forwards, banging against one of the carriages. She sighed out, jumping on top of the horse and uppercutting Eligor. Small orbs circled around the three of them as they fought against it, cold air suffocating the atmosphere as Cloud struck his sword through the horse’s side. 

It cried out, falling backwards as Eligor’s eyes shone, pointing it’s Striking Staff into the air, sending out dark clouds. Cloud rolled backwards, his body crashing into the concrete as a tornado swirled around them, lightning crackling and striking the surroundings. 

Eligor reared backwards, then darted past Cloud and through the graveyard. Aerith struggled to her feet and cried out. “Cloud! It’s trying to get to [y/n]!”  
  
“I’m on it!” he replied as he forced himself upwards, rushing over the cracked ground. 

Eligor’s shadow stretched over the broken trains, heading towards a small path; it's weapon plummeting downwards. Cloud howled out [y/n]’s name as his boots collided with the floor; flickering lights darting around his body as he turned the corner, his mako-infused eyes falling on a cluster of phantoms defending [y/n]. Eligor screamed out, attempting to swing at him, but a barrier protected him from the attacks.

Cloud sent Thundara towards the spectre, causing it to falter. It turned towards him, the red-eye seemingly darker than before as its horse ran towards Cloud, Eligor’s ripped cloak flowing behind it. 

Before it could strike him, Tifa stepped in front of Cloud. “You can go to hell!”

She swiftly somersaulted into the air, forcefully kicking Eligor. It flew backwards, crashing through the laced fences with a loud bang; dark clouds parted as Tifa panted, leaning over to catch her breath. “That was some fight, huh?”  
  
Cloud sighed out, leaning next to [y/n] “Sure was.”   
  
Aerith rushed over to them both. “You okay?”   
  
“Yeah,” Cloud replied, he squinted as he looked upwards, beams of light trailing over to them. 

A figure stepped out from the cluster of phantoms, the aura around him dimming as his body flickered, the phantom with a gloomy expression floating next to him. “Thank you.”  
  
“It’s those ghosts,” Tifa exclaimed, watching as phantoms floated above him.

The SOLDIER moved forward, lightly dipping his head; a wide smile forming on his face. “We’ve been here for a long time.”  
  
Aerith gazed at him sadly. “That voice I heard inside that dark cloud, that was you… wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” he replied. “If it weren’t for you, I would’ve lost my head. Some of us weren't as lucky.” He stepped closer to them, looking between them all. “I wanted to ask you all something.”

“What is it?” Cloud questioned, picking up [y/n]

“Look after my little brother for me,” he murmured. 

“[y/n] is…?” Tifa muttered. “I didn’t even know he had a brother. What happened to you?”

“It sounds pretty like him to not say anything,” he chuckled, orbs circling around him. “I was sent on a mission with one of my mentors, but one of the Shinra higher-ups set a trap for me here. I was told to investigate this area to see why all these people were going missing…” He glanced down at [y/n] as he softly breathed out. “I… I was involving myself with things I shouldn’t have known about and someone got me killed.”

“Do you know who?” Aerith asked, clasping her hands close to herself.

He shook his head. “No, the coward struck me from behind, then Eligor dragged me here.”

Biggs and Wedge called out in the distance, their voices becoming louder. “Over there!”  
  
Tifa frowned. “We’ll find out who did this to you.”

A small laugh fell from his lips. “I’m sure you will. Keep an eye on him for me, okay?” He began walking away, his body becoming orbs and swirling up into the sky. 

“Hey, guys!” Wedge squealed as he bounded over with Biggs. “Uhh, what did we miss?”


	14. Cold Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I finally got round to updating this. I might go back and edit some things in this soon, but I hope you like the new chapter. As always comments are always appreciated.

Wedge sighed out in awe as the Pyreflies lit up the stormy clouds, lighting the dull sky as the stars started to wane. “What was that…?” Wedge breathed out, fixing his uncontrollable hair, as Biggs approached the party closer. 

Aerith bowed her head as if it was a burden to her, locks of brown hair shifting slowly with the weight of the breeze. “Then it's over and they can finally all relax.” Her lips twitched as she turned to the others for a brief moment. "We're going to go, then?"

“Yeah,” Cloud replied softly, propping up [y/n] on his back. “Let’s go home.”

As they traversed the beaten-down train tracks and cracked concrete, whispers of carriages echoed and the wind howled in their ears; Cloud’s eyes fixing on [y/n] every time he cried out in his unconscious state. Ten minutes later, their feet came to an abrupt stop. Chain link fences surrounded them, blocking them from venturing further towards Sector 7.

Tifa’s red eyes reflected the not-so-distant flickering lights in the slums as she blinked and licked her dry lips. “We made it,” she murmured, walking towards the barricade and threading her fingers through the gaps within the thin metal. “It looks like you were, right… Shinra really is searching for us.”

Biggs folded his arms tightly over his chest. “Yeah, even more than they were before. Not only are we classified as “eco-terrorists, but now we’re also murder suspects for President Shinra himself and what’s worse, everyone will probably believe them.”

Aerith joined Tifa’s side as she gazed over the gloomy silhouettes of the buildings, she gently placed one of her hands on Tifa’s shivering shoulders. “There’s not much time.”

“I know,” Tifa sighed. “We should warn the others about what Shinra are planning. We’ll have to leave Seventh Heaven behind after we evacuate everyone.”

“Well, at least we still have each other, right?” Wedge chimed in, smiling widely. 

Biggs grinned, roughly nudging his shoulder. “Yeah! You’re right about that. Those Shinra scum can’t keep us apart, even if they wanted too. We’re in this together, after all, right Cloud?”

Cloud silently agreed, his hands keeping [y/n] safely in place. “Well, we can’t keep them waiting forever. Let’s go.”

“Right,” Aerith answered, as she interlocked her fingers with Tifa’s own, giving her gloved hand a comforting squeeze. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Long shadows dragged behind them as the residents in the slums gazed up at the projected news report; their eyes glassed over with hatred. The group skulked behind damaged buildings and apartment complexes, avoiding any unnecessary attention. 

Smog swirled around their nostrils as they carried moving onwards, stepping over various cat colonies that were dotted around Sector 7; Wedge, not so subtly, admiring the felines as their eyes glowed in the dimly lit streets. “They’re so cute! Shame we can’t stop to pet them,” Wedge murmured woefully. 

“Petting cats is the least of my concern right now,” Cloud retorted coldly, although his eyes lingered briefly on a long-furred calico cat as he strode by.

“C’mon, bro!” Wedge chuckled quietly. “You can admit it, you like ‘em too, right?”

Aerith giggled. “Even I can tell you like cats, Cloud.”

Cloud sighed out as he stopped for a moment to adjust his hold on [y/n]. “Whatever.”

Tifa’s attention turned to Aerith as she smiled. “You know, when [y/n] first joined our group, he and Wedge always hung around here, feeding the cats and handing them toys.” Tifa began idly fiddling with her leather gloves, as she gazed over at [y/n] sadly. “Hopefully, after all this is over, maybe we could return to how everything was before. It’s a shame we hadn’t met you before everything happened.”

Aerith smiled at her as she stepped in sync with Tifa. “It’s alright, I’m just glad I got to meet you in Sector 5. We have so much we need to catch up on.”

“Hold on,” Cloud ordered, raising an arm as an obscured figure turned the corner. 

The others got into fighting stances, awaiting a confrontation of some kind, but instead, they got…

“CLOUD? [y/n]?” Jessie yowled in glee as she darted towards them. “You’re alive!” She gasped out, noticing the others. Biggs offered her a lazy wave. “Biggs, Wedge, Tifa, thank Gaia you all made it back safely! Barret thought you all had all gotten yourselves killed. We saw the news...” 

“Shinra is looking for us,” Tifa interjected. “We know.”

“Barret and Marlene are waiting in the basement at Seventh Heaven. I don’t know how much longer they’ll be safe down there. I’ve been patrolling and keeping an eye out for any more spies or infantrymen. It’s been a nightmare.” Jessie explained, running a shaky hand through her hair. “We have no idea where we can go for cover or how long it’ll be before we’re found out.”

Aerith cleared her throat, stepping beside Cloud. “Sorry, we’ve not had the chance of meeting yet. I’m Aerith, I joined up with Cloud and the others on the way here. Cloud, Tifa and I met at Sector 5 and discovered that Shinra were planning on dropping the plate on Sector 7, but since President Shinra’s been killed, it might give us a bit more time to evacuate everyone.”

“Shinra are planning on dropping the plate on everyone here…?” Jessie’s voice quivered with anger. 

“Look,” Biggs sighed, approaching Jessie’s side and placing one of his hands roughly on one of her shoulders. “No matter where we go, Shinra will be following close behind like hounds. But we have a chance here to save everyone here.”

“But how do we do it?” Jessie questioned. “Will anyone even believe us?”

Cloud stared at her, his bright eyes flickering with what seemed like worry. “We can only try.”

“For now, we all need to stay low here,” Tifa added. “[y/n] is sick. He needs to have some food and water, not to mention we need to start packing a lot of supplies before Shinra catches up with us.”

Jessie moved some strands of hair away from her diamond-shaped face, uncertainty creasing her brow. “I suppose we have no choice. If we all keep running, we’ll just tire ourselves out. If we want to help everyone leave Sector 7 safely, we’ll have to conserve some energy and think of a plan.”

“Right,” Tifa agreed. “C’mon, Seventh Heaven isn’t too far from here. We’ll take it in turns patrolling and keep an eye out for anyone suspicious.”

[y/n] groaned out uncomfortably, his head leaning against the side of Cloud’s neck as he mumbled something incoherent. Cloud glanced at him, then signalled for the others with a nod of his head to keep moving.

When they all finally reached Seventh Heaven, it was completely devoid of any customers. Empty trays and glasses littered the stained wooden tables, chairs left in disarray. Tifa closed the front doors behind herself, leaning against them as she let out a heavy breath. 

“Sorry about the mess, Tifa,” Jessie said, attempting to clear some of the plates. “We had to clear everyone out. You know what some of the people around here can be when they’re told where to go…”

“It’s fine, Jessie. Don’t worry about it,” Tifa replied as she started giving her a hand. 

Aerith glanced up at Cloud, her emerald eyes fixing on his stony stare. “Cloud.” She gently placed her right hand on his side. “You should take [y/n] somewhere he can get some rest. It’s going to be a long night ahead of us all.”

Cloud silently moved by her, heading towards the hidden base as everyone else quietly murmured around him. Orange lights from the slot machine lit up the sides of his face as he stared down at the floor, his lips tugging downwards as he shifted his gaze towards [y/n].

The elevator clicked into place as the soft sounds of a television reverberated through the room. Barret was pacing back and forth, his forehead lined with frustration as Marlene slept on an old couch perched in the far corner of the undecorated walls. 

“I’m here,” Cloud stated, splitting through the murmurs of a news reporter.

Barret sharply turned to face him, eyebags clung to his under eyes; his body as tense as a stubborn tree. “You took your time.” He gruffly huffed, moving closer to him and inspecting the limp body draped over his shoulders. “What happened to [y/n]?”

“I can tell you later, he needs a bed,” Cloud bluntly stated.

"The back has some bunk-beds," replied Barret, heading towards a distinct little hallway. “We rarely use ‘em. It’s just for emergencies.”

Cloud silently trailed behind him, until they reached a black wooden door. Barret roughly opened it, waiting for Cloud to step inside. His feet clattering against the metal floor as he carefully placed [y/n] on one of the bottom beds.

“You alright, Spiky?” Barret questioned, leaning against the doorway.

“Yeah,” Cloud replied, his tone despondent. “You?”

“I’m managing, Marlene’s been worrying about everyone. She knows things are going to start changing,” Barret murmured, glancing in her direction. “We all have something worth protecting. I wanna make sure all of us get out of this mess alive. I’m sure you want the same thing for Tifa and [y/n], right?”

Cloud remained silent, but Barret didn’t interrogate him further. “Alright, I'll be near the television if you need anything.”

The door closed abruptly behind him, Barret’s shadow slipping away from them both. Cloud silently tread towards [y/n] and sat on the edge of the bed, his eyelashes fluttering as he watched [y/n]’s chest rise and fall. 

His eyes glowed in the darkness as he became transfixed on the wall, sounds of metal scraping chaotically over his hearing as a familiar voice whispered in the dimly lit room.

“Cloud, do you think that he’s angry at me?” a soft voice rudely interrupted his racing thoughts. A name was spoken but was overlaid by static as the familiar words carried on being spoken. “He’s been acting distant lately. I’m getting pretty worried about him.”

  
Distorted screaming caused his body to jolt forwards, flames licking at the walls. Cloud’s breath hitched in his throat for a moment as he stared absentmindedly ahead of him.

Cloud shook his head free of the overwhelming noise, his attention was drawn back into the cold world engulfing him - the reality that he didn’t save [y/n] in time crashing down on him like an angry ocean.

The floorboards above him creaked as he leant forwards towards [y/n], gently moving some locks of hair away from his forehead. “I’m sorry,” Cloud muttered.


	15. Training Unit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (This chapter is in second-person) I hope you enjoy it!

The world hazily drifted by your vision, shadowed bodies rushing around you - time seemingly an illusion as your unsteady breathes were dragged out of your shivering body; voices intermingling with the rushing thoughts in your head.

Velvet raven hair fell over your face as the dark room suddenly fell apart like shattered glass, revealing a saturated blue sky. “Come on, lazybones! Get up! It’s time for training.”

“Zaaack,” you groaned sleepily. “I was having a great dream, and you just ruined it.” With a few more grumbles of protest, you slowly sat up, rubbing at one of your eyes.

“Ooh, what kind of dream was it?” Zack beamed down at you, his smile almost as bright as the sun hanging behind him. “Was I in it?”

You felt your cheeks heat up as his gaze pierced through you. “Pfft, n-no. Why would I dream of you?”

Zack chuckled, then helped you to your feet, a goofy expression still plastered to his face. “Aww, you’re so cute when you’re embarrassed, [y/n],” he joked, lightly nudging you. 

“Yeah, yeah, that’s enough,” you mumbled, groggily looking up at him as you rubbed one of your arms. “Who’s training us? It’s not Sephiroth again, is it? He’s way too difficult to catch up with… especially ‘cause I’m still tired.”

“It’s Angeal AND Sephie, I’m sure it’ll be a blast, [y/n]!” Zack exclaimed cheerily as he surveyed his surroundings. “They should be here any minute now.”

Ice-cold metal lightly tapped against your cheek, a smug voice slowly erupted behind you. “Boo.”

Instinctively, you yelled out, fumbling over your own feet and landing headfirst into Zack as Angeal and Sephiroth seemed to take great amusement in your clumsiness. A muffled Zack sounded from beneath you. “Hey, [y/n], do you mind getting off?”

“OH! Sorry, Zack,” you stammered as you lifted yourself away from him and got back on to your feet. “Do you always really have to do that?”

Sephiroth playfully tilted his head, his eyes narrowing in thought. After a few moments, he finally responded back. "Yes, I actually do have to do ‘that’. You should never let your guard down, [y/n]."

Angeal nodded. “Sephiroth is right, if you let your defenses drop like this on a real mission, you wouldn’t still be standing with that dumbfounded expression, that’s for sure.”

Zack smiled widely, changing his stance to stand a little taller in Angeal’s presence. “Well, let’s get this show on the road then! What are we learning today?”

“First of all, we’re going over here.” Sephiroth lazily gestured with his katana over to some dummies. “You’ll be going on a mission to ambush those two enemies.”

“Dummies…?” you stated, perplexed.

“Yes, that’s right,” Sephiroth confirmed. “The SOLDIER training unit is a bit full at the moment. So we’re doing it the old fashioned way, while we wait for it to be usable again.”

  
“That’s it? Two dummies?” Zack asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow as he fiddled with his gloves. “This’ll be a piece of cake. C’mon [y/n], let’s show ‘em what we can do.”

“Not so fast, you two,” Angeal spoke softly as he stepped in front of you both. “We’ll be their defense, and if we spot you, you’ll have to engage in combat with us both.” 

Zack’s smile dropped slightly, his blue eyes briefly analysing Sephiroth as he watched you with intent, then he did a half-hearted shrug. “Sounds good to me.”

“We’re so dead,” you mumbled as you trailed behind your mentors to begin the training mission.

Your feet pushed over the hot cracked concrete, Zack close by you as you stealthily tried to hide behind a stone wall. The looming city overlooked Shinra’s headquarters as Zack attempted to maintain a low profile. His tan skin glistened in the light as he tried to pinpoint the location of Sephiroth and Angeal, he squashed his back against the hot wall and squinted his eyes against the sun, slowly turning his head but before he had the chance to see you gawking at him you quickly averted your gaze- but it was very difficult not to look away.

“Found them,” he whispered, leaning closer towards you, invading your personal space, not that you minded. “C’mon [y/n], this way.”

Silently, you nodded, mentally cursing yourself for being so abundantly clear with your idealisation with him. He 'd probably noticed by now, right? Although, Zack was so caught up with his work that you sometimes wondered if he even noticed how much people admired him.

That’s all it was, admiration. Yep, definitely.

Sephiroth’s silver hair drifted lightly with the refreshing breeze as he spoke quietly with Angeal; the dummies close behind them. Your brow wrinkled as you manoeuvred towards Zack. “They might look off guard, but knowing them they probably know where we’re going to appear from. Perhaps we could divert their attention?”

Zack frowned, placing one of his index fingers over his lips. “How would we go about doing that?”

You sighed dramatically. “Zack, look what’s around us.”

“Bits of concrete?”

“Yes.”

“Oooh, I’ve got you,” Zack grinned.

You sidled closer towards his side and nimbly picked up a loose bit of the concrete with your fingertips. “Watch.”

Zack observed as you threw the hard material in the opposite direction from where you both came from. Angeal immediately withdrew his weapon and sprinted over to the position where the popping sound echoed.

“Now’s our chance!” you murmured.

You both charged towards the dummies, but Sephiroth counter-attacked like electricity, almost knocking you off your feet, but you held your ground, using your sword as a shield against his katana.

“Good try,” Sephiroth huffed.

“Zack! NOW!” 

Zack slashed the dummies in two with one sweep of his sword, a smug smirk painting his soft features. “Now what’re you gonna- WHA!” Angeal pinned Zack down with barely any effort. Zack writhed under his grasp, then finally gave in. “Okay, okay. You got me.”

Angeal gripped Zack’s hand, dragging him back to his feet. “It was a good attempt… But, stealth really isn’t your strength, is it?”

“You’ll need to work on it more,” Sephiroth added, his all-knowing eyes digging into yours. “If this was a real battle, you both would’ve been killed.”

Zack rubbed the back of his neck in defeat. “Yeah, yeah. We know, Sephie. Still, we did manage to strike the enemies down, even if we were caught in the process.”

Sephiroth sheathed his katana, his long eyelashes fluttering as he gazed at Zack. “True, you do both work pretty well as a team. Maybe if somebody was less distracted, you would have done a better job.”

“What’s that meant to mean…?” you inquired, trying to gulp back your pride. Luckily, it seemed Angeal was distracting Zack with the feedback of his performance.

“It doesn’t matter, for now,” Sephiroth amply replied, an ‘I’m onto you’ expression written as clear as day on his face. “I suppose, I do have one last thing I can show you though, [y/n].”

“Oh? What is it?” you inquired, intrigue tugging on you like strings.

Sephiroth gazed down at you, his features softening. “One of my most prized fighting moves, I want you to learn it.”

Angeal spluttered mid-sentence. “You want to do what now?”

“I think he’s ready,” Sephiroth answered calmly. “You might not be as strong as some of the other SOLDIERs, but you have more intuition. This attack needs someone to know exactly what they’re going to do before they strike.”

Zack pouted like a child and folded his arms. “Hey, no fair! I use my intuition too.”

Angeal patted Zack mockingly, chuckling slightly. “Sure you do.”

Sephiroth waved you over to him as he strolled towards Shinra HQ. Zack and Angeal followed both of you, sharing confused glances. When you all finally arrived, people were running around with files and infantrymen greeted Sephiroth and Angeal, watching them as if they were superheroes. In your eyes, they weren’t too far removed from that idea.

You all reached floor fifty, the whirring of machinery coursing throughout the walls. SOLDIERs exited the room, laughing and talking about their mishaps while fighting against the projection of Shiva. The lobby was nearly empty now, most of the workers going on their lunch break.

“I want you to use this on a projection of a First-Class SOLDIER,” Sephiroth abruptly stated, breaking you out of your musings. “I’ll do a demonstration, then you will attempt to do as I do.”

“Rodger, sir,” you stammered, struggling to not stumble over your words. Why did Sephiroth want to teach you this attack if it was clearly so special to him?

Zack and Angeal waited outside the training unit, as you entered with your mentor. Blue lights flickered over you as Sephiroth searched through all of the different projections of the enemies, until finally, a vague looking First-Class SOLDIER appeared in front of you, his shoulders clad in metal and his form towering over your own.

“Watch,” Sephiroth simply ordered as he drew his weapon.

As swift and erratic as lightning, Sephiroth gracefully evaded the enemies attacks, batting away his sword. Then he kicked him in the shins, contorting his body away from oncoming attacks and angling his weapon; a sickening crack whipped the room as his katana pierced the SOLDIER’s left lung. Sephiroth’s silver hair shifted as he slowly lifted him upwards with his sword, a glint of enjoyment in his bright eyes as strangled sounds escaped from the enemy; the SOLDIER’s hands clutching at the sword.

This was just a projection, yet it looked so real. 

After he had stopped struggling, breathing his last breath, Sephiroth tossed him aside like a toy. 

“That was really…” Your voice trembled as you attempted to fish for the word in an ocean of horror and confusion. “Something.”

“No one else has ever successfully learnt this attack,” Sephiroth informed you as the projection dissolved into blue particles at his feet. “I want you to try it.”

“O-okay,” you replied unsurely. “Where do I start…?”


	16. Promotions

Hours fell in between your fingers like rain as you tumbled onto the floor, over and over again; bruises and cuts embedding into your skin. Silver hair flowed over your vision, ice-cold eyes and porcelain skin leaning forwards towards you. “Again!” Sephiroth ordered.

You sucked in a long breath, withdrawing it sharply as you leant against your sword to steady your shaking limbs. The projection stood statically, looming over you; awaiting any instructions from Sephiroth.

Metal clashed with metal, emitting sparks through the stuffy air as you lunged towards the projection. You followed Sephiroth’s movements, evading the enemy’s attacks, then striking twice; but your body was to weary and you were knocked forcefully backwards, the First-Class SOLDIER strolled steadily towards your crumpled figure, raising its weapon, then it froze, becoming as stiff as President Shinra’s golden statue.

“We’ve been training for four hours, sir,” you murmured in exhaustion. 

“A true SOLDIER does not wait,” Sephiroth coldly retorted. “If you want to survive, you have to use your head.”

“But I-” you gasped, your throat as dry as Bone Village. 

Sephiroth’s leather boots treaded closer towards you, his cat-like eyes squinting in exasperation, and worst of all disappointment. “You’re giving up, already?”

“No!” you snapped, your patience wearing thin; his eyebrows furrowed at your tone of voice, so instinctively you bowed your head; deeming the metal floor to be far more interesting. “I’m sorry, I just need a drink, some sort of break.”

Sephiroth sighed, shaking his head subtly. “Your brother recommended you before he left for his mission, I expected better,” he murmured, turning away from you as he paced; every word a knife twisting horrifically into your gut.

“I’m not my brother,” you stated harshly, pushing back the overwhelming urge to throw a punch at your senior officer. 

“I know how much you admire him,” Sephiroth replied, his tone oddly warming. He turned on his heels, fixing his flowing coat. “Listen closely, because I will never repeat this again.”

Your tense jaw remained clamped as you attentively observed him.

“I want to promote you to a Second-Class SOLDIER,” Sephiroth abruptly said, completely catching you off guard. “I am showing you this tactic, so I have a reason to give you the opportunity of becoming Second-Class, like Zack. Heidegger and Lazard are hard to impress, after all.” He came to a stop a few feet from you, his shadow casting over your stunned expression. “And… Truthfully, you have promise, I don’t want to see you fall in battle.”

Was Sephiroth trying to lighten the mood? At this point, you were too confused to even manage a reply. After what felt like hours of silence, you finally mustered the courage to speak. “You really mean that? For me to become a Second-Class SOLDIER, I mean.”

Sephiroth quietly nodded, a surge of pride and excitement bubbling inside you; replacing any doubt of your abilities. The room suddenly seemingly brightened around you, as you noticed each different shade and hue of blue that flickered inside the giant metal training unit. Sephiroth glanced away from you, his posture becoming less rigid. “I’ll allow you a ten-minute break for a drink. But come back once you're done.”

You nodded, your head feeling as light as a feather. Trembling, you stumbled towards the doorway, exiting the training unit and instantly darting towards a drink machine drowning in bright neon advertisements. As quickly as you could manage, you placed some Gil into the money slot and watched as your beverage rolled through the flap at the bottom. 

Crimson lights flashed over your vision as you bent over for your drink. 

“Uhm,” a nervous voice sounded above you.

“Sorry, I’m nearly done,” you replied, trying your best to mask your hoarse voice.

“[y/n]?” 

After cracking open the metal seal, your hazy vision landed on an infantryman. “Uh, yeah?”

“It’s me, Cloud,” he stated so small you could hardly make out his words.

You stood up, smiling dopily as you eyed him. “Ooh! What’s up? It’s pretty hard telling you apart from other infantrymen if you run around with that oversized helmet on all day,” you giggled as you took a very much needed large gulp of your drink. “You could do with asking to have it fitted better.”

Cloud huffed a laugh, taking off his helmet and revealing poofy, spiky blond hair. 

“That’s the Cloud I know!” you joked, earning a shy smile from him.  
  
“I was just wondering if you’re okay? I bumped into Zack and Angeal earlier,” Cloud explained softly, rubbing the back of his neck. “They said you’ve been training here past curfew so they sent me to check up on you.”

“Sounds like Zack, not coming here himself. He’s probably gotten into trouble again,” you mumbled then you cleared your throat, finally starting to find your voice again. “Yeah, I’m okay. Just tired, I guess. I still need to get the technique Sephiroth is showing me right, so I might be another hour or two.”

“Oh, right…” Cloud replied. “I was wondering if you have any spare time tomorrow, or if you wanted to train with me? I know I’m not a Third-Class SOLDIER like you yet, but I’ve heard from Angeal that you’ve been showing improvement… in fighting.”

“Of course, Cloud!” you beamed. “It’s been a while since we’ve got to hang out.”

“[y/n]!” Sephiroth called.

“Ah, sorry, I’ll catch you later,” you stated hurriedly, nearly falling over yourself after patting Cloud playfully on his shoulder. Swiftly, you jogged towards the training unit again; encouraged by Sephiroth’s revelation. “I won’t let Sephiroth or my brother down,” you murmured as you gripped the handle of your sword. “I can do this!”

  
After a few more failed efforts, something arose inside of you, it scorched like fire as you averted the blows of the SOLDIER, twisting your body away from his sword. Then, with two precise slashes to his stomach and legs, he slipped, and your weapon slammed through his chest with such force that a low-pitched scream poured out of the projection as you lifted it up. 

It felt exhilarating, you had finally done it! A cold gloved hand fell on your shoulder as the projection disintegrated. You blinked, gazing behind yourself only to see Sephiroth; a proud glimmer in his sharp eyes. “You did well,” he stated in an even tone, then with that, he left the training unit, his large presence ghosting from your side.

“He praised me?” you croaked, feeling whiplashed.

“He what?!” Zack yowled the next morning as you groggily placed a towel on to your damp hair, your limbs feeling so sore it was almost as if you could hear them screaming as you dried yourself. Zack sunk into his mattress as the sparse sunlight from the slitted windows fell into your shared room. “Seriously, Sephiroth actually said that? I never so much as received a ‘good’ from him.”

“I know,” you huffed, still in awe that he even congratulated you. “I still can’t believe it.”

Zack grinned widely. “Sooo,”

You knew what was coming.

“Can you teach me the extra special fighting move he taught you?” Zack pleaded as he leant his chin on top of his hands, fluttering his dark lashes like he was some sort of spoilt princess.

“No,” you said simply while smiling sweetly, fluttering your’s back at him mockingly.

“Aww, c’mon! At least let me guess what it was,” Zack groaned, rolling towards the end of his bed. You remained silent, waiting for him to come up with his imaginary scenarios. “Was it that swishy thing he does with his katana? Y’know the one, after he uses his weapon as a shield he slashes the weapon out of his opponent's hands.”

“Nope.”

“What about the one where he does a fancy jump in the air?”

“Still no.”

Zack crossed his arms tightly over his chest, pursing his lips in thought as he strained his mind for what it was. “You’ll never get it,” you stated calmly, folding your new pajamas and placing them at the end of your mattress. “Sephiroth told me that this move was only to be used in dire circumstances, it’s not something I can do with just any old enemy. I have to know their moves before they make them.”

“It sounds really cool,” Zack moaned. “Why can’t Angeal show me some awesome fighting moves like that?”

“Maybe because he knows that would be the only thing you will use in battles for the rest of your life,” you joked.

You turned away from him, opening your wardrobe and grabbing your uniform, as you slipped on your pants, a warm arm wrapped around your chest, dragging you towards the floor. You yelped as you collided towards the metal, only to see Zack playfully pinning you. He grinned widely and began imitating Sephiroth’s voice. “You know, [y/n], you should never let your guard down! You could be killed.”

“Oh, shut up,” you laughed, trying to conceal your heated cheeks. “Get off me.”

“Nah,” Zack replied, amusement dripping from his intonation. “I’m getting my own back.”

“For what?” You sighed dramatically, although it was hard to hide the smile forming on your lips.

“For you falling on me yesterday during training!” Zack stated confidently, sitting upright, using his weight to keep you stuck on the ground. 

“It was an accident, you idiot!” you huffed, attempting to squirm away from him again. You roughly shoved him on to the floor, a gasp escaping from his mouth in shock as he collided with the hard metal. A boastful smirk painted your mouth as you gazed down at him. “Now look who’s winning.”

Zack raised an eyebrow, challenging you. “Oh yeah? Well-”

The door opened, banging rudely against the wall. “Hey, it’s time to get u- uhh, what’re you two doing?”

You both stumbled upwards, Zack’s cheeks tinted pink as he fixed his creased clothes. You shifted as you quickly put your tank-top on and started badly attaching your shoulder guards. Licking your dry lips, your eyes skimmed upwards, landing on an unamused Angeal. 

He folded his arms as he leant against the doorway. “I have a mission for you both after lunch.”

“A mission?” Zack answered, quickly adjusting his dumbfounded expression into a rather excited one.

“Yeah,” Angeal affirmed. “It’s in the Train Graveyard.”

“Why there, of all places…?” you inquired feeling a chill go up to your spine. “That place gives me the heebie-jeebies.”  
  
“Heebie-jeebies or not, I’m afraid you’ll both have to go and investigate it. Sephiroth and I will be accompanying you, I have word from higher-ups that it’s going to be dangerous,” Angeal informed you both, as he shifted his weight. “So meet me at the lobby on floor 49 at 12:00 pm, don’t be late.”

“Alright,” you replied, grabbing your wallet and weapon.

Angeal left the room, as Zack jiggled excitedly. “This is so cool! A real mission with Sephiroth and Angeal! I wonder what he means by dangerous? Could it be an invasion of assassins? Or maybe a bunch of Behemoths got loose and started rampaging!”

“Well, I suppose we’ll find out when we get there,” you answered, thinking over Cloud asking you to train with him. “Do you know where the infantrymen are usually situated?”

“Oh? Looking for Cloud?” Zack replied, his deep blue eyes awash with intrigue about the mission. “I think he’s usually hanging around outside the first-floor lobby at this time.”

“Thanks! I’ll be training with him for a bit, so I guess I’ll see you when we set off for the mission?” you replied with a small smile.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll be doing some training for a bit anyway,” Zack explained, folding his arms behind his head, as he always does when trying to suppress excitement. “I guess I could always meet up with you both before I set off anyway if we have time.”

You gave Zack a small pat on his back as you moved by him. “Alright! I’ll see you later, then.” 


End file.
